Keep Me Safe, Keep Me Awake
by waiting4haykin
Summary: Padme is having nightmares that are tearing her apart. Do dreams really pass in time? Do premonitions?
1. Unsaved

**Unsaved**

He was coming home! Anakin was coming home! No more fearing for his life every single day. She didn't have to worry any more. She would now be able to see him. Actually see him with her own eyes! No more viewing his face through a comlink's small screen. He'd be right in front of her!

She was nearly jumping for joy at the thought, but….No, not now. She wasn't going to worry about it now. There would be time to think about everything over once he was home and safe in her arms.

* * *

"Calm yourself, my young…Anakin." Anakin turned and looked at his former Master with an amused expression.

"You keep forgetting that I'm a Knight, don't you?" Obi-Wan smiled and turned away. He kept forgetting how much things had changed over the past few months. He looked back at Anakin and realized that, just because his rank had changed, it didn't mean he had. Anakin was gazing out the window, nearly jumping out of his seat with excitement.

Obi-Wan could make a good guess at what would make his former Padawan so jumpy, but he wasn't going to voice his opinions on the subject. Silence was best in this case. As Obi-Wan pondered all this, Anakin was lost in his own thoughts. _I can feel her presence. We're close. We're finally close to home.

* * *

_

Padmé tried to keep awake. It was mid-afternoon, and Anakin was coming….She was tired – exhausted, in fact. She shouldn't be so tired. But something was plaguing her mind, and she couldn't let it go. She hadn't slept in days. Every time she closed her eyes, she felt that darkness that wouldn't let her go. The lack of sleep was dragging her down. However torturous it would be, she needed to rest.

A glance at the chrono told her she had the time. She went into the bedroom and slipped into a long, flowing, white nightgown. She then went to take a nap of less-than-sweet dreams….

_In the darkness, an iron hand closed around her throat. She couldn't breathe. The hand was harsh enough to bruise her and hurt like hell, but it loosened just enough to let her breathe some ragged breaths. She turned to look for help, but there was only darkness. It surrounded her and held her in a prison cell that she couldn't see. If she could only have some source of life, she might be able to escape her tormentor's grasp. Darkness and the unseen attacker worked together to make their victim feel helpless._

_She couldn't fight any more as she realized that the tiny bit of light that she had held inside was fading fast. In a last attempt, she screamed repeatedly for help. The last tiny shred of control that she had held on to evaporated as she realized that she couldn't scream for Anakin. But it was worse, because she wasn't even sure if he could help anyway._


	2. Right Here

**Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters...My therapist has gone over this with me.

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Later that evening…

Anakin walked to the door of Padmé's apartment, eagerly awaiting the warm welcome he usually received on his first night home. As he approached the door, he telepathed a quick message to his wife. /I'm home./ He waited a second before he punched in the security code to the door. He took one last deep breath and took a step into the main room, expecting a bombardment of kisses.

Nothing. There was no sudden rush of lips upon lips. No embrace that was used to check if he was really with her again. No whispers of "I've missed you" as he held onto her as if she might suddenly disappear. Nothing.

But there was darkness. It was all-encompassing and eerie, as though light would never be seen again. Anakin was shocked, but he wasn't very concerned. Perhaps Padmé was planning to surprise him. "Padmé?"

Again, there was nothing. "Padmé, please. Come on." He became frightened. What was going on? He walked towards the bedroom and began to hear her screaming his name in agony. He quickly called his lightsaber to his hand and ignited it. Fearing the worst, he rushed into the room, ready to strike.

What he saw surprised him. She was not in danger. Instead, she was having a vicious nightmare that was causing her to scream and thrash about in her sleep. Anakin calmed briefly and de-activated his saber. Another earth-shattering scream of his name caused him to hurry over to his beloved wife.

He sent her calming and loving feelings to her through the Force, but whatever she was battling in her dreams wouldn't allow her to get that comfort. He reached out again but was met with a mental wall. The scary thing was that there was no outside force stopping Anakin. Padmé's dream was keeping him out by itself.

"Anakin!" He was very afraid for her now. She was shaking in fear and cowering. This wasn't like the strong, courageous woman that he knew. An assassin would not have frightened her that much. The attacker in her nightmare had to be truly horrible if it reduced her to this state of mind. Waking her immediately seemed the only way of saving from her.

"Padmé! Padmé! Please wake up!" Suddenly, she bolted up with tears now visibly streaming down her face. She felt his hands gently brush away the tears. Realizing that he was there with her, she pulled him to her and clung to him as if her life depended on it. She wept freely at the final relief of being released from her nightmare. Anakin was not sure how he could comfort her, so he began to lightly run his hands up and down her back in soothing circles, whispering words of comfort that could hardly be heard through her sobs. Even still, she appreciated the words and safety that his very presence provided.

She was still shaking in his arms when Anakin pulled away to look at her. He knew that she would need to be getting back to sleep soon. It was near midnight, and she usually had early mornings. "Here, let's go back to bed. Okay, angel?" Padmé shook her head and grabbed onto him once again. Though she wouldn't say it, he knew that she was scared that her nightmare would come back to haunt her once more.

"It's okay. I'm right here. Please, just lay down." He put his hands on her shoulders and lovingly guided her to lie down once more. Without even bothering to change into sleep clothes or even remove his cloak, Anakin moved to rest beside her. He only took off his boots so that he wouldn't accidentally hit her with their rough heels. Her back was pressed up against his chest, and she squirmed to be as close as possible to him.

Fear washed over her in wave after wave as she tried to overcome the after-shocks of waking up. The Force only echoed her pain, and Anakin felt powerless to help her. Finding the courage to finally say something to him, Padmé spoke. "I'm afraid."

"I'll be right here, angel. It was just a dream. I know how frightening dreams can be, but – believe me – it was just a dream. You're fine now."

"I don't want to go back to sleep, Ani. I don't want to go back to that torture."

"I'll help you through it. I'll use the Force, and I'll come with you into your dream, okay? That way I can be right beside you to help you to fight through whatever is there. I'll be right beside you."

Padmé nodded, though she was still worried. What if he couldn't do anything? That would be worse than him not being there because she'd have to see that her hero of a husband would not always be able to keep her safe. She couldn't have that happen.

Yet as her mind began to race with a million questions and worries, Anakin put them both into a Force-induced rest.


	3. Don't!

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars or any of its characters. This is not for money. Just one crazy girl and her obsession.

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_The iron fist was closing around her throat again. The darkness was looming around her, and she couldn't see anything. She could hardly breathe and was becoming more and more frightened. Where was Anakin? The pain was becoming more intense by the second, and she didn't know if she could hold on much longer. Should she even try? Anakin might not be coming. Some part of his plan to be with her must have gone wrong, and now he wasn't there! Tears sprang to her eyes at the very thought that she was once again alone in her torment. _

_The darkness began to fade suddenly, and a light was taking its place. The light burned brighter and brighter until it felt as if a star was shining right in front of her. The iron hand began to disappear, though Padmé could not see where it went. Her knees started to buckle, and she felt faint. The light became her husband, and he came to catch her before she fell. He kept her in his arms, where she found she was safe. He had saved her, and she felt her reason to fear fade…for now.

* * *

_

Stars fade…

Skies lighten…

Darkness falls away…

And the world is left with light…

But light divides…

Everything is in shadow or sunlight…

She's in shadow…

He's in sunlight…

And neither can move to help save the other…

* * *

The sun fell onto Padmé's face. She blinked and began to regain her sense of consciousness. She turned over, hoping and praying that it wasn't a dream. No, it wasn't! Anakin was really home with her. As soon as she saw him, she realized that he had not changed. He was still in his entire Jedi uniform, including his cloak. At first, she couldn't remember why he wasn't in his sleep pants as usual. Why hadn't he bothered to change?

She closed her eyes, trying to catch a few more minutes of sleep before she truly had to get up and moving. Darkness rushed around her, and she suddenly found every lost memory of her nightmares. Though she was nowhere near tired enough to slip back into the terrifying blackness, she bolted upright. Even closing her eyes was enough to send her screaming. Strong arms wrapped around her, and she found a state of peace once more as Anakin whispered in her ear.

"Are you okay, Padmé? Do you want to talk about it?" She swiftly shook her head. She didn't want to talk about anything right now, other than his being home.

"I'm fine, Ani. I'm so glad that you're finally home. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, Angel."

"Did everything go okay out there? Did you get hurt? Are_ you_ okay?" She began to turn him around, looking for any new battle wounds. He would always come home hurt, and she always wanted to help him heal. He laughed and turned back to face her, cupping her face in his hands as he did so.

"I'm fine," he said with a kiss. "I just missed you."

"Anakin, please. Let me help you heal." She began to turn him around again, but he stopped her suddenly.

"No. Not until I know what's going on with you." Padmé took a step back and away from him. She didn't want to tell him about her dreams and her fears. _It's not that big of a deal. I can handle it. I don't think he could do much about it anyway._

"I really am fine, Ani. I know you're not going to believe me, but I am alright." He sighed and walked towards her, embracing her from behind. He knew that she _could_ handle whatever was bothering her by herself, but he didn't want her to have to. Yet if she didn't want to talk about it, he wasn't going to press it.

He glanced at the chrono and sighed once again. "I need to be getting ready."

As he started to move to the refresher, she spun on her heel and caught him by the arms. "Don't!"


	4. A Favor

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars...What? I wasn't even alive when it was created!

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**A Favor**

They both stood frozen for a second. He wasn't sure what had caused the sudden outburst, and she didn't know how to explain it. Her fears took control of all conscious thought, and she found herself asking a completely unfair and irrational question.

"Can you stay home today? Is there some way you can get out of going to the Temple? Please, I…I…" Tears began to run down her face, and she had no idea why or how to stop them. Anakin pulled her to him and embraced her lovingly. He knew that he would get in serious trouble and that his absence would lead to many questions, but she needed him right now. _And I'll be damned if I let her down when she really, truly needs me, _he thought.

"I'll stay. I don't have to be there today – not really. I would just have to go take care of a few small things first." She shivered slightly as a bit of fear tickled the back of her mind. He took his cloak off and draped it around her shoulders as he spoke once more. "I'll be back within the hour, Angel. Don't worry, okay? If you start making breakfast now, I'll be back by the time it's ready."

She nodded. She'd have something to busy herself with until he returned, and then she could concentrate on his being home again. This way she wouldn't have to truly think about anything until later. Padmé hated procrastinating, but this was the one time she'd make an exception. Anakin gave her a quick kiss with a last reminder that she'd be back before he knew it. She then went off to fix their meal – _his_ meal.

* * *

Obi-Wan paced back and forth right outside the Temple. Anakin wasn't in his quarters nor was he anywhere else in the Temple. He'd gone out again. Every time they came back from a mission, he became extremely reserved and tended to back away from everyone at the Temple for a few days. Obi-Wan had not found the base reason to the odd behavior, but he wasn't going to ask. If Anakin needed time to deal after coming back from battle, then Obi-Wan wouldn't ask any more than how long his former Padawan would need. 

A yellow speeder raced towards the Temple at a suicidal speed. _Right on time_, he thought. Anakin jumped out of the speeder in crinkled robes and unlaced boots. His hair was a total mess, and he looked stressed. He walked up to Obi-Wan and bowed in the custom Jedi greeting. "Good morning, Master. I'm sorry to be so short with you, but I really need to meditate for a few days. I really need to be left alone right now." Anakin ran his hands through his hair and looked back in the direction from which he had come.

Obi-Wan nodded. "If you would like to meditate, you are more than welcome to take the time you need."

Anakin ran his fingers through his wavy locks once more. "I actually have a favor to ask, Master. I was wondering if I could meditate outside the Temple."

The Jedi Master was somewhat shocked by this request, but the desperation in his former Padawan's eyes told him that he could ask questions later. Anakin would be given proper time to think, reflect, and meditate. When he returned to the Temple, the Council could ask whatever they wanted of him.

"All right, but you'll need to explain why to me. We can, of course, go over that later, when your thoughts are more centered." Anakin turned to leave, but Obi-Wan stopped him for a second. "Don't do anything foolish, my friend. And may the Force be with you."


	5. Complicated

**Author's Note: Okay, I was out of it when I posted the last chapter, so the last scene is missing four sentences. Just go with it. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. If I did, I wouldn't be going to high school right now. I'd be too rich to care!

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**Complicated**

Anakin immediately went back to his speeder and jumped in. As he sped off, he couldn't help but think that that was all too easy.

On the ground, Obi-Wan was hoping that he had made the right choice. With Anakin, it was always hard to tell.

* * *

Padmé had just finished cooking breakfast when her husband walked through the door. "It smells good in here," he said as he came up to her and gave her a kiss on her cheek. She finished dishing out the food onto two plates as he pulled back. 

"Here, Ani," she said as she handed him his plate that was nearly over-flowing with food. She knew that he was constantly hungry, and rations were not exactly the most appetizing food. This would be his first real meal in a long time, and she wanted to make sure it was a good one. He eagerly grabbed his plate and set off towards the table. As Anakin sat down, he couldn't help but notice that her plate barely had any food on it at all. True, there was an amount of food there, but nothing substantial enough to be called an actual meal.

"Not hungry?" He could hardly talk between mouthfuls, but that did not stop him from asking.

Padmé laughed and shook her head slightly. "No. I haven't been very hungry lately." He gave her a peculiar look, and she giggled again. "Not everyone has a stomach like yours, Ani. Sometimes I just don't get that hungry, okay?" He cocked his head to the side, now clearly joking with her. Slowly, he began to give her mock concerned looks and side-ways glances. She smiled again, and playfully slapped him. "Stop that!" He broke into a wide grin.

After they had each had their fill, they gathered the plates and went to clean up. They washed the dishes together in a sweet silence that both seemed intent on keeping there. They were simply enjoying one another's company. At some point, the silence got to Anakin. "I can't stand the silence any more. Let's talk."

She smiled and looked at him. "That's fine by me. What would you like to talk about?" He gave her a glance that said it all, and her smile quickly faded into nothingness. "Not right now."

"We're going to need to talk about it at some point. Please, tell me. I came home to you screaming and crying because of a nightmare that is still haunting you. I have a right to know what is bothering my wife so much."

"It's complicated."

"No more short answers. Tell me what's bothering you." Padmé sighed and stopped what she was doing. Anakin followed suit, and the dishes were abandoned to drown beneath the suds in the sink.

Padmé went over and sat down at the kitchen table. "I don't know. I've been having these dreams for about eight weeks or so."

"But I've only been gone six weeks. Padmé, why didn't you tell me about this before I left?"

"You already had gotten the assignment, and I didn't want to add to your worries. You were going into battle, Obi-Wan had been bothering you, and you were so anxious about leaving me. I didn't want to concern you."

"You should have told me."

"I know."

"I can't help you if you don't tell me."

"Ani, I know!" She hadn't intended to do it, but she had screamed at him. Lack of sleep and only so much food were making her irritable. He stared at her for a second, anger slowly becoming etched into his features.

"Fine!" He stomped past her and through the door to their bedroom. He needed to calm down before he said anything else to her. His mouth was huge, that he knew, and during a fight, vicious words would pour out of it. Padmé was hurt enough. He wouldn't add to it by letting his anger get the best of him.

As the door slammed, Padmé turned and cried into her arms until she was too exhausted to keep her eyes open. As she slipped into the darkness again, she knew that he wouldn't come. He wouldn't know to come. Her nightmares were becoming true….


	6. A New Iron Fist

**Disclaimer: I own nothing in, from, or about the Star Wars galaxy/universe. But the moment it goes on Ebay, that will change.**

**Author's Note: I feel horrible about not updating, but I didn't get access to the computer for a couple months. In a peace offering to readers, I'm posting five chapters at once. I hope that makes up. Also, the divides aren't working, so I'm using my own dividers. Go with it. **

**A New Iron Fist**

"Explain yourself, you must, Obi-Wan." Obi-Wan stood in front of the Jedi Council. Somehow, as angry as they were, he remained un-phased. He had let Anakin meditate outside the Temple because he knew that that was what his former Padawan needed. But Anakin was just that – his _former_ Padawan. He had no right to let Anakin go without the approval of the entire council.

"He needed to leave, Masters. I could just tell. I know that that reason is not near good enough. He promised to explain to me and to all of you once he had returned from his meditation."

Mace Windu now chose to speak. "Did he say how long he would be meditating for?"

Obi-Wan nearly kicked himself. Of course! Anakin had never told him how long he would need. He could be anywhere! And now they had no idea of when he was coming back to them! There were no boundaries, no limits, nothing to stop Anakin from doing something rash and insane. Common sense was not exactly a quality that Obi-Wan had ever been able to truly drum into his apprentice.

"No, Master Windu. He did not tell me how long he would be meditating for."

"Did he say where he would be meditating?" Master Windu asked another question that Obi-Wan would beg not to answer.

"No, he did not."

"Wait, we must. Trust in Skywalker, Obi-Wan does." Yoda turned to Obi-Wan and smiled. "And trust in Obi-Wan, I do." The Council members glanced around the room, telling each other silently that if Master Yoda believed that Anakin would be responsible for once in his life, he would be.

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

No matter how angry I am…

No matter how much you hurt me…

No matter how many obstacles stand in my way…

No matter how impossible it looks…

No matter the circumstances…

I will come when you call.

I won't ever let you fall.

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

He was pacing back and forth throughout the room, hardly able to keep from screaming in anger. Anakin finally snapped, and threw the only picture of their wedding against the wall. It was in an old-fashioned glass frame, and when it hit the wall, the glass shattered. Immediately, he regretted wrecking their only memento of their wedding.

He ran across the room and knelt down beside the frame, seeing that the picture was safe and only the framing had been damaged. He carefully slid the picture out of its jagged frame and examined it for scratches. Without even realizing that he was doing it, he began to trace the photographed features of Padmé's face with his finger.

She was stunning in the white of her wedding dress. Her long, beautiful, dark brown curls were draped across her shoulders and down her back. Even though the picture was being taken, he could not tear his eyes away from her long enough to smile towards the lens capturing the image. She had seemed just as entranced by his presence as he was hers, as she was gazing into his eyes instead of looking towards the camera.

Anakin turned towards the bedroom door, half wanting to run in and apologize to her, half unwilling to forsake his pride. Through their bond, he began to feel her inner turmoil. He knew that he would have to be the strong one, which would mean giving up his idiotic ego for her. _It's a small price for an angel. _It was a very comforting thought.

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

Safety in a shadow…

Fear in a dream…

Freedom in a nightmare…

Falsehoods set her free…

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

Anakin ran into the room and directly to his wife's side. She was trembling in her sleep. This was becoming all too commonplace to Anakin. His hands went to the top of her head, where he calmed her mind with the Force.

The sudden change from fear to calm shook her out of her sleep. She awoke once again to her husband's arms, but instead of finding the love that he was trying so desperately to send, she found only the remnants of anger. Though she was not truly Force-sensitive, she felt enough of the Force to feel the previous rage.

She looked down and saw the metal of his arm. _Iron fist…_ It wasn't the actual metal of his hand that bothered her. It was the reminder. Anakin saw that she was cold and shivering once again. He quickly put his black cloak around her, which covered her completely. _Enveloped in darkness…_ As the cloak slipped, he picked it back up and draped it over her shoulders. His hands accidentally brushed her neck. _Closing around her throat…Choking… _

"Vader." Padmé whispered the name very quietly. Her nightmares – no, her premonitions – kept telling her the name. The Force echoed the name one thousand times over, each time it grew a little louder. The name had some unknown effect on Anakin, and without realizing it, he tightened his grip around his wife's waist. He became lost in a trance…

_Thousands of clones marching behind him. His lightsaber activated and to his right as he strode forward. The blade was a deep red that pierced into the black night around him. Power flowed through him. It was thrilling, and he did not want to stop feeling the high that it gave him. He'd give anything to keep it. He'd do anything to keep it. Anything._

"Ani, you're hurting me!" His grip had become painful and crushing against her waist. Using all the strength that she possessed, she broke away from him. _Vader…_ The name whispered in her mind this time, but Padmé understood what it meant. The fear that the name carried flowed throughout her body, coursing through every one of her veins.

Anakin's heart was also thumping in his chest, but not from fear. _Power…Vader. _The names seemed to go together, connected by some unseen link in the Force. When his mother had died, he had vowed to become the most powerful Jedi ever….Maybe Vader could help him to achieve that goal. He made a mental note to look up the name in the Archives.

"Anakin!"

At the sound of his name, his head snapped up. He had been so lost in thought about finding Vader that Padmé had been nothing more than background noise to his ears, which was slightly unsettling. She had always been the focal point of his life, and at the sound of an unknown name, he had nearly forgotten her. What was wrong with him?

"Anakin." She called to him once more before he answered. His eyes flew to her, where he saw her face contorted in pain and her hands pressed to her stomach. Her delicate fingers covered exactly where he had been holding her a moment ago. Anakin stood up and went over to her, concerned now. He carefully moved her hands and lifted her shirt. As the fabric moved across her skin, Padmé winced. Once her stomach was bared, he could see a bruise beginning to form in the shape of his open right hand.

A new iron fist would haunt her now.


	7. Go It Alone

**Disclaimer: I'm not George Lucas. Who here is surprised?**

**Author's Note: Dividers are stupid. It's official. (I'm optimistic...Why don't you believe me? Oh, and your glass is half empty.)**

**Go It Alone**

As Obi-Wan walked out of the Council Chambers, he nearly kicked himself for not asking Anakin everything that he should have. Where Anakin was going, for example. How could he have been so stupid to forget to ask something like that? He had known that Anakin had wanted to leave as soon as possible for some important – yet unknown – reason, but that should not have stopped him from asking a few simple things.

Quietly, Obi-Wan took a breath and released his anger at himself into the Force. It would only cloud his judgment, and he needed to let it go. _Only the Sith use their anger. The Jedi know to release it. _He closed his eyes, and suddenly felt intense rage through the Force. It was not his own. No, this was justified anger, but intense and harmful all the same. It grew stronger and stronger, until it finally snapped into a deep despair.

Obi-Wan searched for the person feeling such anger and sadness, until he found it. It was Anakin. He sighed heavily. _Should have guessed, _he thought to himself. The Jedi Master shielded Anakin's anger so that the Council would not know of it. It was just a temper tantrum. If the anger were cause for alarm, Obi-Wan would tell Yoda. But it wasn't worth the trouble.

The Jedi Master tried to detect where Anakin was by finding him through his emotions, but his former Padawan had seemingly vanished in the Force. He had become calmer in some way or another, and now he could not be found. _Or maybe he felt me looking for him…_It bothered Obi-Wan to think that Anakin was hiding from him. _It bothers me that I have to look for him too…_

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

Invade my dreams…

Invade my nightmares…

Invade my realities, my truths, my promises…

Invade and confuse…

Invade and abuse…

Invade and twist and turn and break and burn and invade…

Invade my life, Vader…

Invade…

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

Padmé turned away from her husband and attempted to sit down – too painful. Anakin stood and attempted to think of what to say to her. "I'm sorry" seemed pathetic. No, it was pathetic. He didn't want to give her pathetic. She deserved much more than that. "Padmé–" he began, but she held up her hand.

"I'll be okay. It was an accident. You didn't mean to. It was your metal hand, Ani. You didn't realize." In her mind, she heard herself justify his actions. It was surreal, like it hadn't happened. She tried to sit down again. _Ugh!_ No, it had definitely had happened.

"Here, let me help you. I could put you into a healing trance or help to ease the pain in some way. Let me help. Please."

"I'll be fine. Don't worry, Ani."

"You can't even sit down, Padmé. Let me help."

"I can sit down." With that, she sat quickly into a chair, attempting to show no signs of pain. As soon as she had sat, she cringed. It felt like an invisible hand had punched her in the gut. Anakin soothed her pain with a small application of the Force.

Immediately, the pain lessened into a dull ache that hardly bothered her. With another manipulation of the Force, he levitated her into his arms. He then carried her to the couch, where she could lay down without having to move much at all. When he moved her so that she was lying down, he spoke to her. "You don't have to sleep. I just think you'll be more comfortable this way."

Padmé didn't resist him, though she was still a little wary of him, if only subconsciously. His right hand came up to move some hair out of her eyes, and the black leather on it brushed her forehead. _Vader…_ The name echoed once more, but she did not say a word to her husband. Without speaking, Anakin began to heal her bruise as best as he could. It would remain purple on his wife's creamy white skin, but it would hurt a lot less if he helped.

When she no longer felt her stomache getting better, Padmé put a hand on his shoulder. "You've done enough. It's not going to get any better than it is. Don't worry; I'll be fine."

He couldn't believe her, but he gave her a weak smile. "Okay, but I want you to stay here. I'll get you anything you want – books, holos, anything."

Padmé took Anakin's hand in her own and smiled. "Just you – that's enough." They began to talk over everything that had happened while they were apart. For several hours, they enjoyed only the company of one another. That was enough…almost. As Anakin spoke with his wife, he made a mental note for the one millionth time to look up Vader in the Archives. If Vader was powerful, perhaps he would know how to stop Padmé's dreams and help heal her. Vader had to know.

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

That night, Padmé decided to take a risk. She wanted to try to stay in her nightmare for longer, so maybe she could understand who Vader was and why he was so desperate to haunt her and kill her. A gut instinct told her that Vader wasn't an immediate threat, but he was real. He existed outside of her dreams, and Anakin felt the same way. Without explaining why, Padmé told her husband that she wanted to get through her nightmares by herself.

"I don't want you to go through any more. I want to help you." He begged her to let him into her dreams, but she insisted that he stay out. She could tell that he wanted to know who Vader was as well, but her mind screamed that that would do more harm than good.

"I need to do this by myself, Ani. I'll be fine, but you have to promise me that you won't wake me up. I need to get through the entire nightmare." He shifted in his seat uncomfortably, realizing that he would have no way of soothing her when she started screaming or becoming frightened. He'd be powerless, which was a feeling that he feared more than any other.

"I won't wake you up. I promise you." Utter defeat rang in his voice and traced every aspect of his features. Sensing how horrible he felt, Padmé went to his side and embraced him, despite the pain it caused her to move. He clung to her with all his might and buried his face in her hair. Her very scent gave him comfort, and he breathed it in.

A single tear slipped down his face. He'd made so many promises to Padmé, all of which spoke of protection and safety. This promise meant letting her face demons alone and abandoning her. How could he do that? How could he not?

She untangled herself from the embrace and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Good night, Ani." As she started to walk away, he grabbed her by the wrist and turned her back to face him.

"Padmé Naberrie Amidala Skywalker, don't you walk away from me." A small smile graced his lips, and she couldn't help but giggle at his silliness. She knew exactly what he wanted and didn't hesitate to give it to him. Padmé took his face in both hands and brought it down to meet hers in a desperate, loving kiss that reminded them both that morning would come that much quicker if they went to sleep now.

"Good night, Ani."

"Good night, Angel."

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

Don't try to save me.

I have to do this by myself.

Please, just leave me.

I can't afford to have your help.

Trust me… I'm ready.

If not to fly, then to fall.

I know this scares you.

But I have to risk it all.

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

_Darkness was everywhere, and it held her prisoner. Oddly enough, there was no iron fist. No choking. But Vader was there. A shiver ran down Padmé's spine, as she could practically feel him approach. He was behind her, and he wrapped his arms around her waist. She wanted to protest, to call for Anakin, to run, but she couldn't. Someone else held her on puppet strings, and kept her standing in place. Vader came around in front of her, and the lights lifted just enough that she could see his eyes. _

_Blue eyes stared into hers. The eyes were so similar to her husband's…until they turned a Sithly yellow. Vader pulled himself further into the light, which brought his face an inch from hers. His features were all similar to Anakin's, but she could not see his entire face in the half-light. Padmé gasped, and he smiled. _

_He took advantage of her surprise and kissed her. In her mind, she wanted to push him far away from her. She didn't – couldn't – believe that this was her Anakin. The puppeteer had other plans. Of their own will, her arms wrapped around his neck. Vader pulled back and smiled once again. "I'm glad you see this my way." The strings that held her up were cut, and she fell into his arms. His two metal appendages cradled her and kept her safe. "I have to go see the Emperor. I won't be long; I promise you." She was too tired to resist him, and so he carried her to a bed where he let her lie down. "I love you…Lady Vader." _

_Vader leaned down to kiss her, and a ring on a silver chain became visible from where it dangled around his neck. The ring had small writing on it. As he kissed her on the forehead, she quickly read the inscription. It was in Basic, which surprised her. It said, "A Sith Knows No Love." Then what was Vader talking about when he said that he loved her? _

_Questions spun inside her mind, but as soon as she was ready to ask them, Vader turned and left. She turned on her side and found that there was a night stand right next to the bed. On it, she found a data pad with information to Vader from the Emperor. It was signed Emperor Palpatine._

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

She was sleeping too peacefully. There weren't any screams coming from the other room, yet Anakin still felt waves of fear and confusion roll off of her. What was happening in her nightmares? How was it that he could help people all across the galaxy, but when he came home he was powerless to help the one woman that meant the most to him? He couldn't sit and do nothing for any longer. He had to do something – anything. His data pad flew to his hand.

Vader. Now he had the time to research Vader. His eyes quickly scanned the files. There was only one document that even mentioned the word Vader. Anakin sighed; he'd try it. The document opened to Sith legends and prophecies. Only one prophecy mentioned of him at all, but Anakin read it anyway. It said:

_Vader will defeat the Jedi's "Chosen One" and will tip the scales towards the favor of the Sith. But if he is not careful and true to the ways of the Sith, the scales will tip back towards that of the Jedi. If he is not careful, the Chosen One will appear once again and bring the Jedi's supposed "balance" to the Force…a balance without the Sith. _

Anakin nearly threw the data pad against the wall. Vader should have been able to help him. But Vader was destined to be his enemy, not someone who Anakin could trust. And what did the prophecy mean that he would appear once again? Didn't it say that Vader would defeat him?

The anger and stress of the day was wearing Anakin down, and he decided to try to sleep. As he locked up the information on his data pad, he couldn't help but think about the prophecy. _At least I've got a nice little bed time story to think about as I go to sleep._


	8. Life and Death

**Disclaimer: I own nothing involving Star Wars other than my mind. I'm not sure that I own that either, though.**

**Author's Note: Is the poetry working for everyone? I appreciate all comments on this, even negative. I don't need a pat on the back, nor am I looking for one. **

**Life and Death**

Dawn wakes.

And light takes

Away the seams

Of unpleasant dreams.

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

Anakin woke the next morning to silence. Usually, Padmé was the first up of the two of them. Why wasn't she up? He reached out with the Force and felt for her presence. He found it, but something about it seemed off. Her signature seemed…weak.

As soon as the thought came into his mind, Anakin was up on his feet and running for Padmé. She was lying on the bed, where they had agreed she would sleep. He had had to sleep in another room so that she knew he would not have to worry about her as much. But he was constantly worrying for her, especially now.

Padmé was tossing and turning in her sleep. She was sweating all over, though she was not screaming or fighting. There was no nightmare. But if she wasn't afraid, why was she acting this way?

He touched the back of his hand to her forehead, and she jumped somewhat as she woke up. "Cold."

"What?" What did she mean by "cold"? He couldn't understand.

"Ani, your hand…is…cold."

"No, you're burning up." Padmé tried to respond, but words were rapidly escaping her and losing their meaning. She was dazed and confused. It was so hot, and she couldn't focus on anything other than the heat that was consuming her body. As she was about to say something to him, Anakin put a cold cloth on her forehead. The cold was pure relief, and Padmé was more grateful than ever that her husband was here to take care of her.

Concern marred every one of Anakin's features as he tried to figure out what he was going to do. Padmé's temperature was above even that of a normal fever. He could feel her signature in the Force weaken a little bit more. As much as he would give to stay with Padmé and help her through this, Anakin needed to do something that might very well save her. With urgency in his voice, Anakin spoke quickly to her.

"Padmé, I need you to listen to me. I need to do something. Please, trust me. I'm going to put you into a healing trance until I get back. I don't want this to get any worse, and it's the only thing I can do for you right now. I will be back soon. I won't lose you."

Even in her dazed state, Padmé could here the fear in his voice. "Ani, you're not losing me."

Anakin nearly choked on his tears. "Yes, I am."

"Don't say that. You're scaring me. I'm fine, right? My dreams and my fever are going to pass, right? Please, Ani." Tears began to roll down Padmé's cheek, and she grasped Anakin's hand tightly. She didn't want him to go when she needed him most.

"I'll be back soon. I promise you." With his free hand, he quickly brushed away her tears. He didn't have time to lose, and he began to gently persuade Padmé's mind and body into a healing trance. Through their bond, Anakin felt her release her hold on consciousness. She was giving in to the persuasion and trusting him entirely.

Giving her a quick kiss on her lips, Anakin ran for his speeder. He pushed the engine full-throttle as he raced towards his destination. He was not going to leave Padmé for even a second longer than necessary.

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

Obi-Wan sat at his desk and tried to figure out how he could reach Anakin. He probably wouldn't respond through their Force-bond, but Obi-Wan was so desperate. He gave it a shot.

_Anakin, where are you?_

Obi-Wan waited a second. Nothing. He couldn't help but sigh. It was worth another shot though. He was not going to give up on finding Anakin.

_ANAKIN! WHERE ARE YOU?_

The response was immediate and just as loud.

_RIGHT BEHIND YOU!_

Obi-Wan turned around, and to his surprise, Anakin was standing there. Anakin looked just as disheveled as before, if not more so. Obi-Wan was about to say something, but Anakin held up a hand to stop him.

"Please, Master. I need to talk to you. It's urgent." Obi-Wan was quiet immediately, waiting to hear what his former Padawan had to say. "Please, I need to know if someone who is not Force-sensitive can have premonitions and the effects if they can."

"Anakin–" Obi-Wan's tone told Anakin straight away that he was going to get a lecture. He didn't have the time. Padmé needed him right this second.

"Master, I need an answer now. I don't have time to waste."

"Yes, a person who is not Force-sensitive can have premonitions. It is a possibility, though unlikely."

"What are the side effects of it?"

Obi-Wan sighed. He couldn't think of it at the moment. "I don't remember. My guess is that is something similar to the sickness you got shortly after coming to the Temple. You were just getting used to using the Force frequently, and you were constantly having premonitions."

"I remember. I got really sick with a fever."

"Yes, and I had to take care of you for a few days. Nothing more." Obi-Wan sighed. This was going to be the tricky part. "But you had used the Force before, Anakin. My guess is that someone who is not Force-sensitive and therefore not used to the enormous power of the Force would have a definitely worse case of that fever, maybe more. It could be fatal."

Anakin could feel the room spinning. Fatal? What was he going to do? Could he tell Obi-Wan about everything with Padmé so that he could help? Did he have the time to? Time. He needed time. He would sell his soul for more time to figure out what to do to save Padmé. He didn't have time, but he would save Padmé. There was no room for argument there.

"Master, what would you do for a person who is in that situation?"

"Put them into a healing trance and take them to the nearest med center."

Anakin sighed. What would Padmé want him to do? Would she think it was worth risking? There had to be another option. He couldn't risk her future, whether it was in physical body or career. He couldn't risk it. "What if you cannot take them to the nearest med center?"

"Why?" Obi-Wan was astonished. How deep of trouble was Anakin in? Who could he know that would not be permitted into a med center? Who was he associating with that was that low on Coruscant?

"Master, please."

"Then I would suggest getting a healer to come to them. Someone would have to be willing to keep confidentiality for this person. Anakin, who is in trouble?"

Anakin stood for a second, debating whether or not to tell him. He wanted to tell Obi-Wan. It was a desperate desire, but now wasn't the time or place. He needed to find a healer for Padmé. "Master, I have to go."

Before Obi-Wan could even mention a word of protest, Anakin was out the door. Obi-Wan sighed. This would be interesting to explain to the Council.

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

Being in a healing trance is an interesting state of being. Padmé was not dreaming, which was a welcome relief to her system. She was surrounded by darkness, but it was calming and soothing. The darkness was Anakin himself, as if she had wrapped herself up into his dark tunic and cloak.

The air smelled of him. Her every thought was devoted to him and his comfort. She felt as though she was in his arms at that very second. His voice whispered in her ear. Some words were in Basic. Others were in his language, and, oddly enough, some were in her language. The back of her mind whispered that Anakin did not know Nubian, but it wasn't frightening. Instead, it was an exciting thought to know that Anakin could do that just for her. She smiled, and the darkness that was her husband smiled back at her.

She relaxed and let the healing trance consume and control her entire being, knowing that it was Anakin who had created it and that she was safe because of that. She whispered into the darkness.

"I love you, Ani."

The darkness wrapped her up a bit tighter, and she felt a kiss on her forehead as it whispered back to her.

"I love you too, Angel."

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

Feel the warmth of the cold air.

Feel my breath though it's not there.

And though I say that I don't care,

You know I do.

Feel our love throughout the breeze.

It's on the sand and in the trees.

With one sweet simple please,

I'll say I love you.

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

"Come on…. Come on!" Anakin stood waiting for the door to open. It was his friend's quarters at the Temple. If anyone could help Padmé, this healer could. Couldn't he? Teref Secsa was definitely a man that Anakin had trusted before to help him. He wouldn't start doubting him now.

The door slid open finally, and Teref had a concerned look on his face. "What's wrong?"

Anakin half-smiled. Teref always knew what he was thinking. "You always know when I'm in trouble."

"Anakin, you're a beacon of light in the Force. I'm not the only one who knows you're in trouble, never mind that you're in the Temple."

Anakin threw up his Force shields. He didn't need Jedi Masters coming around to bombard him with questions at the moment. Teref felt the shields go up as Anakin was seemingly lost in the Force. "That was quick."

"Teref, focus."

"That never was my strong suit as a Padawan. Nor was it yours, if I remember."

"Teref…" The strained tone of his friend's voice caused Teref to back off and stop teasing.

"Focused. To repeat my initial question, what's wrong?"

"I have a problem."

Teref smiled. "Nothing new."

"And I need your help."

"Again, nothing new."

"I have a wife."

The smile disappeared for a second, only to be replaced by an even bigger one. "This one is new. Continue."

"Teref, she's sick. She has been having premonitions, but she's not Force-sensitive. Now she has a high fever. I'm scared for her. I need you to come take a look at her. Please."

"Anakin, it's okay. I'll come with you straight away. Is she alone now? I'm guessing you came to me because this should be kept a secret, correct?"  
"Right. She's alone right now, but I put her in a healing trance. I was afraid that she would get worse while I was gone."

"Smart move. Let's go to her."

Anakin jumped out of his seat and headed toward the door when Teref called out for a second.

"Just a second. I need to get my med equipment." As he gathered his things, Teref asked a simple question. "So who is your wife, Ani?"

"Senator Padmé Naberrie Amidala Skywalker."

Teref paused for a moment and looked up, grinning from ear to ear. "Yes, this is definitely a new one."


	9. Trust and Truth

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. You can cry with me if you'd like.**

**Trust and Truth**

The trip from the Temple to 500 Republica where Padmé lived would take a sane driver about thirty minutes. For Anakin, try five. Needless to say, the entire trip was spent with Teref gaining all the information possible about Padmé's condition. Anakin would not let the conversation stray to anything else but his beloved at the moment.

She was the most important thing in the galaxy to him. Even the Force itself took a backseat to her.

When they arrived, she was still in the healing trance that Anakin had placed her in. He ran to her side and grasped her hand instantly. He looked to Teref quickly with a questioning glance. Teref nodded, and Anakin began to ease Padmé out of her healing trance.

Her eyes began to slowly open, revealing brown eyes to Anakin's gaze. Before she had fully awoken, her husband kissed her passionately. His relief fueled the kiss entirely. Padmé laughed.

"Well, hello to you too, Mr. Skywalker."

He smiled briefly and brushed a few stray hairs out of her eyes. Then he got right down to business. "Angel, this is Healer Teref Secsa from the Temple." Chocolate brown eyes widened as she realized who was there and the consequences. "No, Angel. It's not what you're thinking. Teref is a friend who has promised to keep everything a secret. He's here to make sure you're alright."

She glanced at Teref and then looked to her husband. Through their bond, she communicated to him. _Can we trust him entirely?_

Teref suppressed a laugh as he heard her ask Anakin the question. "Yes, you can trust me. I won't betray you. Anakin, really. Teach her to shield her thoughts."

Anakin shot Teref a glare as he tried to sooth his wife and calm her fears. "I'd trust him with my life."

Padmé calmed somewhat at this. Anakin silently sent Teref a message through the Force. _That certainly didn't help the situation here._

_Sorry, _Teref answered. _But you do need to teach her to shield better. She might as well have said it aloud. _

Anakin sighed. _I know, but I've got enough to deal with right now. Do you really want a frightened patient on your hands? I know that she's not exactly going to cooperate if she doesn't trust you._

_Sorry. I'm not trying to scare her. _

Anakin nodded. He knew that Teref was joking, but there was a limit to what he could take right now. He turned back to Padmé to find her looking apprehensively at Teref. The concern in her eyes was eating at him.

"Padmé, do you trust me?" At her husband's words, Padmé turned to him.

"Yes." There was no hesitation in her voice. She was confident and sure.

"Then_ trust_ me, alright? Teref is here to help, and we need him to start helping you quickly. I won't let him do anything that will hurt you. I promise you that." He turned back to Teref. "What do we do first?"

"A routine check is first. I know you've told me about this, but I want to make sure that her heart and lungs are alright. That's first." Teref came towards the bed where his patient was resting and began checking her while she was lying down. At some point, Teref needed her to sit up. The husband and wife looked at each other.

Anakin was the first to speak. "I'll use the Force, and it won't hurt as much. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let–"

A delicate finger on his lips silenced him. "Ani, you use the Force. I'll be fine. Stop beating yourself up about that."

Teref looked between his friend and his patient, confused. "What's wrong? What happened? I need to know if it's about her health."

Before Anakin could say a word, Padmé spoke. "I have a bruise on my stomache. It's nothing serious, and I know it's unrelated."

Teref thought for a second before speaking. "I'm sure, but I still want to see." His hand went to her night shirt. His eyes asked silent permission to see, and she nodded her assent. Slowly, he lifted the light material to see the hand-shaped bruise. His eyes went wide, and Anakin looked away. How did he allow that to happen?

After a few minutes of silence, Teref finally spoke. "How did that happen?"

"It was an accident. I was falling down, and Anakin caught me with his metal hand. I landed on it kind of hard." Even in sickness, Padmé could use her skills from the political arena without as much as a second thought. Teref nodded, as though he believed her.

Through their bond, though, Teref gave a different message. _We need to talk later. _Anakin silently agreed with him. There was no way around the uncomfortable conversation that would follow later.

Teref told his patient that there was nothing he could give her for the bruise but pain killers, but he didn't want that messing with whatever else they had to deal with. It was decided that the bruise would have to heal on its own, with no help for the pain.

"Anakin, that includes the Force. You can help her with slight applications of the Force or carry her, but no major reduction of pain that way. It will only mess with her other issues, okay?" Teref did not even wait for a response.

He swiftly continued. "Senator, I want you to tell me everything about your premonitions that you can remember. Every detail may be valid. And then I want you to tell me about the current pain. Anakin can fill in any gaps if you can't remember or were sleeping. I need to know every single thing. We'll finish your check-up later."

Padmé told him everything that she could, which was surprisingly a lot. She told him when the premonitions started and about every one of them. She even told him about the latest one, which caused Anakin to snap to attention.

She told Teref everything that he needed to know and more, all the while holding Anakin's hand tightly. He didn't waver once in sending his support and comfort to her through their bond. When she finished, he kissed her gently on the forehead, just as the darkness in her healing trance had.

Teref nodded one final time. He seemed to take all of what she said in without even blinking an eye. "Skywalker, can I talk to you outside for a second?" Without saying another word, Teref left the bedroom and went into the sitting room of the Senator's apartment.

Padmé looked to Anakin, suddenly frightened beyond all belief. "Why can't he talk to you in front of me, Ani? Why did he call you Skywalker? Should that worry me? Is everything going to be okay? Please, Anakin."

Her fear began to wash over Anakin, but he quickly soothed it away with a smile and another gentle kiss. "The name thing is nothing to worry about. He's used to calling me that when he's healing someone. Don't worry. I don't know why he wants to talk to me alone, but it will be fine. I'll tell you everything; I promise." He moved to get up and go to the door, but his wife would not let go of his hand.

"Ani." Her eyes begged him to stay with her, and he nearly cried because of it.

"I'll be in the sitting room. Not far at all, Angel. Don't worry."

He kissed her a final time before leaving the room. He was trying to be strong enough for them both. In truth, he wasn't sure if he could even be strong enough for himself.

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

"Anakin? Are you coming?" Teref's voice came to Anakin, and he tried to compose himself quickly.

"I'm here. Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it. I probably scared her all over again by asking to talk to you alone."

Anakin laughed, something that felt foreign at the moment. "Yes, she was a little nervous."

"I want to know how she really got that bruise. I'm not another simple politician that she can fool so easily. I knew she was lying to me about how she got it. I'm a Jedi for a reason."

Teref's stare beat into Anakin for a long time before he spoke. "It was an accident. Honestly, I didn't mean for it to happen. She had told me about her first nightmare with Vader in it. When I heard the name, I went into a kind of trance. I don't know what happened. One minute I was resting my right arm around her waist, and the next there was a bruise. Teref, I didn't mean for it to happen. You know that I would never intentionally hurt someone that I loved."

Teref sighed. This was complicated. "I believe you, but – and I know this is going to be way too much like Obi-Wan of me – you have to be careful with that metal arm. It holds a lot of power, and it's easy for you to hurt something by accident. But that's not the only reason I wanted to talk to you alone."

"I know."

"Padmé is not used to me. I know she doesn't trust me entirely, which is why I thought that you should tell her what is happening with her. She's obviously very sick because she's not used to using the Force."

"She's not Force-sensitive though."

"Anakin, that's not exactly true. She is a Force-sensitive. She can sense enough to be considered powerful in the Force, but she's not at the Jedi level. I don't know if she was always this way or if she owes it to you."

"What?"

Teref sighed again. This was where it became difficult to explain. "She has a very strong Force-bond with you. A lot of this is owed to the fact that you two are so connected and have been for a long time. Padmé has learned to communicate with you through thoughts as well some other small things, correct?"

"Yes, that's right." Anakin rubbed his forehead. This was getting confusing quickly.

"Because of that, Padmé has picked up on some of your abilities. I'm not quite sure why she's become strong enough to become Force-sensitive, but she has. It's no longer an issue of why it happened. Now the issue is what to do about it."

Anakin's mind began reeling with questions. "So is it my fault that she's sick?"

Teref laughed. "Force, no! No one could have predicted that, and Padmé seems to be stronger for what you have taught her. She is much more in tune with the Force than anyone that was not a Jedi or Sith. Anakin, nothing that you did was wrong here."

"So what do we do now?"

"For now, we need her to have another nightmare. I know neither of you is going to be thrilled about it, but I need to see how she acts during a nightmare. I need to check some things before I can plan a course of action."

Anakin nodded. "Fine, but I should definitely be the one to tell her."

"I told you that there was a reason I needed to speak to you alone."

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

Anakin came into the bedroom where Padmé was. She was reading a document on a data pad when he came in. As soon as she looked up, the data pad was put aside. Her patience was wearing thin, and she wanted to know exactly what had been said.

"Ani, what did he say?"

"He asked about the bruise."

"What did you tell him?"

"The truth." When she glared at him, he couldn't suppress his smile. "Angel, he's a Jedi. He knew that you weren't telling the true story from the beginning. There was no avoiding telling him."

"I know, but I thought you'd be on my side."

His smile vanished. "Angel, there aren't opposing sides here. Teref is my friend, and he would never betray my trust. Likewise, I would never betray his. Teref also wanted to speak with me alone because he wanted to be sure that I couldn't use the Force to ease your pain any more."

"I'll be fine."

"I know, but I still want to. I feel horrible about that." His fingers gently traced her stomache. Padmé felt soothed, though he wasn't using the Force at all. "And he also wanted me to tell you that he needs you to have another nightmare."

Padmé lightly pushed his hand away from her bruise. "Ani…" Her voice was heartbreaking to hear, and he suddenly wished that Teref had told her instead.

"I know that you don't want to, but he needs to check up on you while you're having a nightmare to see how it affects you. I'll be right there beside you. I'll hold you're hand while you sleep."

"Will you come into my dreams with me?" Though she already knew the answer, Padmé could not help but ask.

"Angel, you know I can't. That would be using the Force and interfering."

"I know. I shouldn't have asked you."

"No, it's alright. I wish that I could be in you're dreams. Teref also asked if he could monitor you tonight in case you have a nightmare. I told him that you probably would, but I wanted to ask you first if it was okay."

"It's okay, as long as you're there to watch over me too."

He smiled. "I can do that."

Usually, he would have gone and told Teref immediately. Usually, he would have checked that the Temple would not miss Teref and that the Senate did not yet miss its Senator. Usually. But instead, he stayed by his wife's side, for which she was grateful.


	10. All She Needed to Know

**Disclaimer: George Lucas owns all.**

**All She Needed to Know**

**A**ngels know no fear, or so they tell me.

**N**o one can tell that you do know fear, and

**G**abriel himself can't deny that you've got wings.

**E**xactly what I feared is your own fears, because I can't protect you

**L**ike I always said I would…like I should be able to, Angel.

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

Patience was being lost fast. Trust was being gained slowly. Anakin paced around the room, constantly asking Teref if he could come back to sit by Padmé and hold her hand like he had promised. Again and again, Teref told Anakin that he needed to wait until the check-up was finished. Padmé was still very wary of Teref, despite her husband's continuous reassurances. She convinced herself that the Healer was taking that much longer in order to drive both herself and her husband crazy.

"You really do need to get Anakin to teach you how to shield your mind and its thoughts." Teref glanced up to Padmé's eyes, curious to see whether or not she was angry at him for the comment. She was.

"I wish you would stay out of my mind, Healer Secsa. I don't appreciate you reading my thoughts." Her tone was cool and calm, but her eyes were vicious and threatening.

_Padmé… _For what seemed like the hundredth time in the last five minutes, Anakin pleaded with Padmé in her mind to go easier on Teref. He wasn't enjoying having his friend and his wife at each others' throats.

She looked up at her husband and gestured towards Teref, who was checking her heart rate. Anakin sighed. This would be a long, painful process if she would not trust his opinions about Teref.

"Your heart is fine, Mrs. Skywalker. Your lungs are also in good condition. Your fever is what is concerning me most at this point, as well as your lack of trust." His statement was met with a glare. "I realize that you don't know me well enough to trust me yet, but you need to be completely secure with me. I need you to be as calm and confident as possible when you go to sleep so that I can be sure that it is only your premonitions affecting you. What can I do to make you more comfortable with the situation?"

Anakin laughed to himself. Teref could be so official and serious when he wanted to be. The business here was completely serious, though, and Anakin was grateful for Teref being so official for the sake of his wife.

"All I need is Anakin. Now can he please come back over here?" Teref nodded in agreement, and Anakin was immediately holding her hand and at her side once more. Through their bond, he could feel her instant relief and calm at the touch of his finger tips. At least he could do that much for her.

"Angel, is there anything else that will make you trust him more? I want you to be completely secure here. This is important." His blue eyes gazed into hers, silently begging to do something that would assuage her fears.

She only had one last question for Anakin. "Has he ever helped to heal you? I just wanted to know."

Anakin smiled. She had no idea how much Teref Secsa had helped and healed him. "Yes. He was the one that attached my metal arm."

Padmé turned to Teref, silently thanking him a thousand times over. "Then I can trust you entirely."

Teref smiled as he looked up at his friend. "If I had known that that would have helped my case, I'd have told her hours ago." Anakin returned the smile. Teref looked back down at Padmé once again. "Okay, Mrs. Skywalker, I need you to go to sleep. I know it's probably weird trying to sleep knowing that I'm here, but I only ask that you try."

Padmé nodded slowly. Because of how exhausted she was, she fell asleep rather quickly while holding Anakin's hand. Anakin became uncomfortable where he was sitting, and he moved to lie down beside her, holding her hand the entire time that he changed positions. If there was one promise that he was going to keep, it would be that he held her hand every moment while she slept. He too was exhausted from caring for his now sleeping wife. He hadn't slept much at all since he had come home. Before Teref knew it, he was the only one remaining awake.

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

The night passed nearly uneventfully. At about two in the morning, Padmé began to shiver in her sleep and twist the sheets. Thinking that it might be her fever, Teref touched his hand to her forehead to check her temperature. It was returning to normal. There was no fever. She was having a nightmare.

Padmé continued to toss and turn in her sleep before Teref finally looked to Anakin. His face was tight and contorted, as though he was in pain. Teref wasn't surprised that Anakin was feeling the effects of Padmé's nightmare. After all, the two were connected through the Force. Why shouldn't Anakin feel what his wife was feeling?

But as Teref continued to watch and monitor the couple, he noticed something. Instead of Padmé feeling effects before Anakin, it was the other way around. Anakin was reacting first to whatever was happening in their very similar nightmares. If he turned and mumbled her name, she then turned and mumbled his. Anakin was starting the chain reaction of their nightmares.

Padmé began to break into a sweat and was beginning to thrash about in another wave of her temperature which was beginning to return again. Teref rushed to her and began checking her once again as she slept. Both were reacting more to their nightmares, but Anakin was not showing any physical signs of sickness.

A thought occurred to Teref. If he could wake up Anakin, then maybe it would lessen Padmé's own nightmares. He didn't want to wake her up unless it was completely necessary. Teref rushed to his friend's side and quickly woke him up.

"Anakin. Anakin! Wake up! Wake up now!" Anakin was having trouble waking up fully, but Teref figured he could fix that. "Skywalker, code red! Get up! Now!"

At the words, Anakin was up and reaching for where his lightsaber would usually be. His hand held onto air, and suddenly reality came back to him. He looked down at Padmé, grabbing the hand that he had just dropped.

"Teref, what's happening? What's wrong?" His concern for his wife did not delay at all, unlike his having woken up.

"Anakin, I don't want to wake her up. We should go into the other room." Teref knew that his friend hated being separated from his wife, but he did not want to wake up his sleeping patient, who was getting along a lot better now that Anakin was awake.

At the suggestion, daggers flashed in the Chosen One's eyes. "No."

Though some people would have backed down, Teref was too used to Anakin and was unafraid of upsetting his friend. "We won't be more than a minute, and then you can come back to her side."

"No, Secsa. That's final. I promised her I'd be beside her while she slept. We'll talk here." Even though she was sleeping, Padmé could feel her husband's anger through the Force. She began to shift uncomfortably in her sleep and called out for him. In response, he stroked her cheek with his free hand and whispered to her. "Angel, I'm right here. I'm not leaving you."

Teref saw that there was going to be no argument about leaving the room, so he pulled a chair over to him with the Force. He sat down and waited. In his head, he heard Obi-Wan's voice telling him about how the Force was not to be used for simple, everyday tasks. He shook the thought from his mind, trying to regain focus.

Anakin turned to the healer in charge of his wife's care. "What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing more than there was when you went to sleep, except that her fever is returning. I woke you up because her nightmare was becoming worse. I noticed that she is reacting the same way that you do to nightmares, only she also has the physical issues like fevers. I've also noticed that when you get worse in your nightmare, she follows suit. It's as though you are starting a chain reaction in. I figured that if you woke up, then her nightmares might not be as bad as they were when you were dreaming right along with her."

As Teref had told Anakin the news, he saw his friend slowly falling apart. Once he had finished explaining what he thought was going on, Anakin sat in silence for a minute before slamming his metal hand into the nightstand that was sitting beside the bed. Teref noticed that Padmé stirred slightly in her sleep. She had heard that. "Damn it! What is wrong with me?"

"This isn't your fault. You did not have any idea that this could happen. It is exactly like her having picked up on your powers; you couldn't have known. Don't blame yourself."

"It's my fault that she's sick! It's my fault that she's having nightmares! How can you say that I am not to blame! I should be protecting her, Teref! PROTECTING HER!"

The raising of his voice woke up Padmé. She remained lying down, but her eyes went wide at his tone. "Anakin?" Her voice was timid and unsure.

The unusually frightened voice of his wife shook Anakin to the core. He turned towards her and began to apologize. "Angel, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up. I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm so sorry. Angel, please. Please, forgive me." His voice cracked, and Padmé reacted.

Her voice soothed him as she sat up to pull him into a tight hug. Teref noticed her wince slightly in pain from the remaining bruise, but her eyes pleaded with him not to say anything…for Anakin's sake. Anakin buried his face in the crook of her neck as she spoke. "It's okay. I'm fine. I'm alright. You promised to protect me and be by my side, and you are. Ani, you've done everything for me." She took his face in her hands and forced him to make eye contact. "I love you, Anakin Skywalker."

His response was automatic, but it was the most heartfelt thing he could say. "I love you, Angel."

"And that's enough. All I need is your love." She knew that he wanted to give her the world, but he was her world. He'd given her what she needed.

Teref felt odd and out of place as he saw the couple share in another tight hug. He couldn't help but ask himself what was so forbidden about love and passion. The code said, "There is no passion; there is serenity." Why couldn't the two be intertwined? Wasn't Padmé the one who helped Anakin find serenity through their passion, their love? The Chosen One was destined to lead the ideal Jedi life. Maybe love was supposed to be a part of that lifestyle.

**_Keep me safe, keep me awake_**

Take a stand. Hold my hand,

And we'll breathe in syncopation

Until all your nightmares end.

Take my words. Make them absurd,

But love my dedication.

Safe is when I'm holding your hand.


	11. Wounded Hearts

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. GL owns everything. Woe that is me.**

**Author's Note: I promise that I will eventually get better at updating. Eventually may be a long time though. Anyway, enjoy. Love to the Choaties, if they're reading. **

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**Wounded Hearts**

Teref had excused himself, claiming that he had to get in touch with the Council and tell them that he would be gone for a few days. "It will be tricky to explain. I may be gone for a few hours. I have to pick up some equipment from my room. And if it's okay with you both, I'd like to tell my old Master about the situation. Though, of course, I will not tell her who or that another Jedi is involved."

Teref had noticed Anakin's concerned look. "With the Force as my witness, I will be back, Skywalker, and your secret will still be safe when I return." Anakin had smiled slightly and turned back to Padmé, who had given Teref a secret wink. She had faith in him. They had then slept then through breakfast, but it had been in a Force-induced rest. Teref had let up this once, seeing as how their latest nightmares were unsettling to them both.

When they had woken up again, Padmé began fixing lunch for the both of them. Anakin had helped her at first, but she had laughed and told him to wait at the table when he had begun to eat more than he cooked. To Anakin's enormous relief, his wife finished the cooking and had plates dished out ten minutes later, which was considered eternity for a hungry Skywalker.

As they ate, Anakin once again noticed that Padmé's plate was barely full. Her eating patterns had been erratic at best over the last few days, and he was getting concerned that she was adding to her weakened state. "Angel, what's wrong?" She looked up with a pair of questioning eyes, but she said nothing. He would have to ask again. "Angel, what's wrong? Why aren't you eating more?"

Her mouth worked faster than her brain for once, and she spoke without realizing what she was saying. "Food makes me tired."

He reached across the table and held onto her hand tightly. "You can't let your nightmares control you like this. You need to eat if you're going to get better."

She was irritable, and the words that flew from her mouth were out of place. They didn't fit her persona at all. "I'm not ignorant, Anakin. I know what I need to get better. You think that I don't realize that I should be eating more and sleeping more? But I'm afraid. And don't tell me about letting my nightmares control me when you were the one who flew half-way across the galaxy after a nightmare!"

His eyes dropped along with his hand as her words hit him hard. She didn't realize it, but she was adding to his enormous pile of guilt by bring up old wounds. Anakin felt sorry enough for having unintentionally caused her nightmares, something she still did not know. He stared down at his plate and quietly stirred around his breakfast with his fork.

He became lost in thoughts of guilt for a moment, but when he looked up at her again, he was more determined than ever to have her eat. He would not lose her. He would not let her die in his arms like his mother had. "Like it or not, Padmé, you are going to eat. It doesn't matter if I have to force the food down your throat. I'm not going to lose you too. Eat." His words were filled with a loving determination that set her on fire. She could not believe that he was trying to order her around.

Her eyes blazed defiance. Instead of backing down to his rational demands, she stood up and put her hands on the table. "Make me."

"What!" He could not believe that she was being so uncompromising and irrational. "Padmé, I'm only asking you to do what is best for your health. Now eat!"

The lack of food and sleep kicked in once again as she threw another barb at him. "Listen, I know you don't know what a father figure is like, but you need to realize that you are acting like one right now. And you know that you are not my father. That means that you have no control over what I will and will not do."

At this, he slammed his fork down and stood up to meet her gaze. His hands also went to leaning on the table. "Padmé, listen to me! I only asking you to–"

"Eat! I got it the first time, Shmi!" Padmé had pushed too many of Anakin's buttons and mentioned his mother one too many times. In a fit of rage, he Force-threw all the dishes and silverware across the room, slamming them into the wall. She didn't so much as blink an eye at his anger, which only caused to fire him up even more. He walked around the table and took Padmé by the arm. His grip was loose, but she did not pull away. She was not afraid. His flesh hand tilted her chin up to look into his eyes. His eyes were filled with an anger deeper and darker than she had ever seen.

"Don't you ever mention my mother's name in an argument again. You know what she meant to me, and I will not have anyone drag her name down to that of an insult." His voice was kept level, which was frightening to his wife. His eyes flashed a Sithly yellow for a brief instant.

"I'm sorry, Anakin." His hand slid off her arm as he went to clean up the dishes on the floor. He did not say a word to her as he began to pick up the fragments of china which had once resembled plates. "Do you want help with that?"

"No. Eat." For once in her life, Padmé took a direct order without flinching or second-guessing. She felt horrible for having dragged his mother into their fight, and she was willing to do anything possible to make up for her mistake.

When Teref came in several minutes later, Anakin had finished cleaning up the dishes, and Padmé had cleaned off some fruit which she was then eating. They sat in complete quiet. She was shocked into silence, and he was soundlessly furious. Teref came in cautiously as he watched Anakin clean the dishes from the day before. A minute of nothingness passed, and then Anakin turned from the stacked pile of clean dishes.

He walked past Teref without so much as a glance, saying over his shoulder, "I'm going out."

Padmé seemed incredibly distressed by the news. "Please, Anakin. I'm sorry! Can we talk?" She ran up to him and grabbed his arm.

He turned to her with a coldness that Teref had never seen in all his years with the Chosen One. "I'll be back in an hour." He said nothing more as he went out onto the veranda, got into his speeder, and then streaked away into the noon-time sun.

* * *

Here by my side. You promised.

Always my guide. You promised.

Holding my hand. You promised.

Never demand. You promised.

Never hurt you. I promised.

Are broken promises true?

* * *

Padmé had told Teref everything that had happened while he was gone. Her anger and defiance had disappeared since the fight. She now felt horrible about every word she had said. Provoking Anakin could only have ended badly. She knew this, so why was she so willing to hurt him?

After she had finished, Teref had adjusted uncomfortably in his seat. He wasn't sure whether or not he should attempt to explain that there was more to this than she thought. Should he tell her about Anakin's connections to her nightmares? Or would that only make her want to blame Anakin? Teref sat in silence for a moment.

"Padmé, what if I told you that this is a little more complicated than you realize?"

"What are you talking about?"

"There are more to you nightmares than you think. Anakin and I realized something last night, and we weren't going to tell you until I got back today." He took a deep breath, silently praying that he was doing the right thing. "We found out that your nightmares – actually, your premonitions – are very similar to the premonitions that Anakin has been having. His moods and dreams have been starting this chain reaction. The best example that I can think of was when you and he had gotten into a fight. He was angry but still awake when you fell asleep. Then, you had a nightmare. Last night, you two appeared to be having the same nightmare. Anakin would react first though. I think that if we can find a way to have Anakin block that part of his thoughts and emotions from you, we might be able to stop your nightmares."

"I don't want to talk about what we're going to do until he's back. I'm not going to plan out anything without him."

Teref was surprised by her. The couple never ceased to amaze him with their undying love and devotion. "Alright, we'll wait to plan until he's here. I think, until he gets back, we should just wait around. And I want you to eat. He had a point."

"I realize that. I knew that then, but–"

"You were irritable and didn't like to be told what to do. You and Anakin were meant for each other in that respect, though it's a wonder that you're not always at one another's throats." Teref laughed to himself and went into the other room before Padmé could say anything about it.

* * *

Obi-Wan paced around his room, trying to figure out what was going on with Anakin. He had felt his former Padawan's emotions through their bond, and they were all over the place. There was anger, confusion, love, fear – lots of fear. Anakin had always had nightmares, had always been afraid of losing someone close to him, had always been afraid of hurting someone.

Obi-Wan sighed as he realized how much losing his mother had hurt Anakin. Then he had lost his arm. There was a carefree, confident part of Anakin that had never returned after that. True, Anakin did still have confidence in himself, but there was a part of him missing somewhere. After escorting Senator Amidala back to Naboo, Anakin had always seemed to have had a part missing. He was never entirely there anymore.

The Jedi Master paced a little faster now. It always seemed to come back to the Senator. Anakin had always had a strong bond with her. Maybe it was that she was there when he had first become a Jedi. Maybe it was that she looked so much like his mother. Maybe it was that she had been through so much with him. Maybe... Here, Obi-Wan shuddered at the thought. Maybe there was something more to it than that. Maybe there was something that Anakin was not telling him.

He shook his head, trying to clear the thought. Anakin was not a fool. He knew what being a Jedi meant…didn't he? He had to have realized how unfair it would be to the Senator to have a relationship going beyond more than a casual friendship. Even a strong friendship would be testing the Code and the Order's boundaries.

Obi-Wan continued to pace as he thought out everything. The room began to close in on him as he continued to think about Anakin and the Senator. There was always a secret glance, a hidden meaning behind words, or a mystery to Anakin. Could Padmé – Senator Amidala – be that secret, that mystery? The walls continued to edge closer to Obi-Wan. He had to get out of the room.

He went out the door and walked through the hallways as he attempted to think everything out. He needed another opinion. Fear, a forbidden fear, crept inside Obi-Wan's mind. He needed guidance. His feet carried him to the one place that he had always found guidance after Qui-Gon's death. The door opened to the room, and Obi-Wan spoke before the person inside could.

"Master Yoda, I need your help."


	12. For An Angel, From An Angel

**Disclaimer: Star Wars is not mine, but I do enjoy dreaming that it is. **

**Author's Note: I feared that this chapter might be too emotional, but I wanted a slight break for the lovers. Tell me what you think. Also, thanks for the reviews. Much appreciated.

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For An Angel, From An Angel

Anakin streaked through the skies of Coruscant with his mind racing at the same electrifying pace as his speeder. His thoughts were absorbed in Padmé and his mother. They both had the same color hair, the same chocolate eyes, the same loving smile, the same kind hearts, the same strong wills. They were so similar that it sometimes made Anakin's mind spin. The love he felt for Padmé was as strong as the love for his mother, only it was somehow different. Padmé was his wife. Padmé was free. Padmé was alive.

He continued racing along, hoping that his Angel would not be angry with him when he got back. He had cleared his mind and found peace when at the Temple. Ironically, he had found peace in sneaking in and out of his room. It felt so routine and familiar, a feeling which had been so distant since he had come home. Once he had found what he needed, Anakin had snuck out of his room again.

Now, as he raced homeward, his every thought was filled with what she would think. Maybe she wouldn't want it. Maybe he should have left his gift at the Temple. As he considered going back to put it back, 500 Republica came into view. No, he would be back at her side again. That was what they both needed most.

His speeder docked at her veranda. Anakin got out with the gift in his Jedi cloak. He didn't want Padmé to see it right away. His eyes closed briefly as he tried to center himself in the Force before going to see her. They opened again when he felt the press of lips on his. His Angel stood with her arms around his neck and her body as close to his as possible. Of their own accord, his arms snaked around her and held her closely.

When they finally broke the kiss, her words were immediate. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to–" A gloved finger on her lips silenced her.

"No, no apologizes. No more fighting. I'm tired of fighting with you." She sighed, wanting to talk about it. "Alright. But not now. Right now, I want to give you a gift. You just need to promise me something before I give it to you."

"What?" Her voice was eager, and he delighted in hearing the excited tone that she used.

"You have to promise me that you'll wear it while you're having nightmares." Before she could ask why or what he was talking about, he pulled a black leather bracelet from his cloak. The bracelet had five dark black rocks on it that shone as if they had been polished a thousand times over. The bracelet was tied together with four delicate laces. On the right side the laces, there were four false gems, which were different colors. One was red, one was green, one was white, and one was blue. On the left side of the laces, there were four identical small black stones.

Padmé held out her wrist, and Anakin quietly put in on her while he spoke. The laces were difficult, and it took him a minute or two to get them secured. "Even when I was little, I used to have nightmares. One night when I couldn't get back to sleep, my mother decided to make this to help me feel better. I watched her as she worked, and she explained what everything meant. The leather she got from a pair of old shoes I had grown out of. She said that leather was strong and would help me to be strong." He smiled at the memory before continuing speaking.

"The stones I had gathered before on the street, and she put five on the outside of the band. She said that each big black stone represented a sense." He stopped working the laces for a moment to point them out. "Sight. Smell. Taste. Hearing. Touch. They were for what I sensed in my nightmare. When she finished putting those on, she secured the laces. There were four, each symbolized a cardinal direction. North. South. East. West. They were for whatever direction I went in my nightmare. Then she put these four black stones there."

He had finished securing the laces and was now examining his mother's work. "She said that each small stone represented a powerful force. Earth. Wind. Fire. Water. They were for whatever haunted my nightmares and wherever they were from. The last parts that she added were these four false gems. She'd had to take them off her only piece of jewelry, one that I'd found it on the street for her once. The red gem represents hell. The green gem represented living. The white gem represented dreams. The blue represented heaven. She said that that was why I had blue eyes.

"When she finished making it, she put it on my wrist and tied up all the laces. She said that it would keep me safe and strong in all my nightmares, whether I was awake or asleep when they occurred." Here, he looked into her eyes. "I wore it every day my first year in the Temple. Then I was afraid that they would take it away because it was a possession. And if you want to wear it and keep it while you're having nightmares, I think that Mom would have liked that." His fingers gently trailed over the leather and down to her fingers. His fingers laced with hers, so much simpler a lacing than the leather straps but just as meaningful.

Her eyes rested at her wrist where the bracelet was intricately tied. Her gaze then moved up to his face, where she saw that he was waiting anxiously for her answer. "I'd love to, Ani. Are you sure that you don't want to keep it?"

"No, you have it. From one important woman in my life to another." He bent down and kissed her gently. As he pulled back and looked up, he saw Teref standing a distance from his wife. "You just can't resist spying on us, can you?"

Teref beamed as Padmé turned around. "Not in my nature, Anakin." His eyes wandered down to the bracelet on Padmé's wrist. "He really loves you. If there was ever a doubt in your mind…"

While staring into her husband's heavenly blue eyes, Anakin's Angel responded to Teref. "There never was."

* * *

Yoda stood at his door, waiting for Obi-Wan to speak again before letting him in. "It's about Anakin." 

"Thoughts about young Skywalker, troubling you, they are. Seek guidance, you do." The wise Jedi Master moved to the side of the doorway, allowing Obi-Wan to go into his room. When he had, Yoda closed the door behind him and went to sit down in one of the few chairs in the room.

"Master Yoda, I've been concerned for Anakin lately. He's been looking worse and worse every time that I see him, and I can feel troubling emotions through our bond."

Yoda thought for a moment. "Seen him again, you have?"

Obi-Wan bowed his head shamefully. "I saw him a couple of days ago. He was very concerned and asking me questions about people who are not Force-sensitive and if they could have premonitions."

"Have a feeling of why he would say this, you do."

"Yes, Master. I feel that there is someone that he wants to help or protect that is in that situation. I think that I might know who, but I'm not sure if confronting Anakin is a good decision right now."

"Disobeying the Order, he is." At this, Obi-Wan's head shot up. Did Master Yoda know something that he didn't? Before he could ask, Master Yoda chuckled and answered Obi-Wan's unasked question. "Disobeying the Order, Skywalker always is. If it will be worth his sacrifice, the question is."

Obi-Wan nodded and thought over it for a second before asking. "Should I ask him, Master Yoda?"

"No. Talk to you when he ready, Skywalker will. Wait, you must, Master Kenobi. Until then, focus your mind on the Force and its mysteries, you must. Information about your own mysteries – and Skywalker's mysteries, you may find."

With this final piece of advice in his mind, Obi-Wan stood up and bowed to the wise Jedi Master. As he walked out, he couldn't help but wonder what the Force would reveal about himself…about Anakin.


	13. Nacaih

**Disclaimer: George gets the money. I get the joy of watching his movies. Fair trade.

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Nacaih

"No." His jaw was set. His eyes were blazing. He paced the room. Anakin was furious. "Why is he constantly trying to pull us apart? Does he like causing us pain?" He turned to Padmé, who was the only other person in the room. She had had to pull Anakin away from Teref. "I'm not going! I'm not leaving you!"

"Anakin, you're not being rational."

"I promised you. I will not go. He cannot take you from me!" He paced the room faster now, his strides becoming shorter and quicker as he moved. As he passed Padmé, she brushed his arm with her fingers. At her light touch, he stopped.

She spoke to him softly. "It's our only choice. You know that. If Teref thinks that separating us might help him make the nightmares go away, don't you want to do that? You know that he's right." Her hand rubbed his back in soothing motions as she spoke. He took a deep breath and calmed slightly.

"I don't want to abandon you. I'm not going to abandon you. He's suggesting that I cut you out entirely. I can't see you or write you. Nothing. For Force's sake, I can't even communicate to you through our bond. It will be like you're dead." His anger dissipated, leaving only his fear for her. "I won't know if you're okay. I won't be able to tell if you get worse."

"Teref will still be communicating with you. He'll tell you if you need to be concerned." Padmé was desperate for her husband's reassurance. "You meant it when you said we could trust him… Didn't you?"

"Completely. Teref will take care of you. I'm sure of that. But I don't like to feel helpless."

"I know, Ani. I wish that there was another was to do this. I wish that we could be together during all of this." She feared the next question, but she needed to know. "Where are you going to go? Where will you be?"

"The Temple." He sighed, feeling her worry through their bond. At least he could feel it for now. "I know what you're thinking, but the Council is probably already suspicious. Their lead healer left not long after I did, and no one knows where we are now. I'm sure that Obi-Wan has not over-looked the fact that you have been absent from the Senate at the same time. I have to explain all of this somehow."

"What are you going to tell them?"

"That I know nothing about why Teref is gone. That I was unaware that you were absent from the Senate. That I had to meditate after the battles because of a certain event that happened."

"What event? Did something honestly happen out there?"

Anakin opened and closed his mechanical hand several times, watching the smooth metal reflect and refract the light bouncing off of it. He didn't speak until he felt Padmé's fingertips against his cheek. He looked up. "You know that you're safe, don't you?"

"Anakin, please…"

"I promise that I'm answering you're question."

"Yes, I know that I'm safe." Padmé's thoughts were all over the place, trying to process what he was saying, trying to follow his line of thinking.

"You know that you're free, don't you?" He closed his eyes, picturing the thousands of people that he had seen on the mission. He could picture every single face in his mind. One little girl's face kept appearing to him, again and again.

"Yes, Anakin. I know that I'm free." Her eyes closed too, searching for him through their bond. She tried to creep into his thoughts as he could do with her. Nothing happened. She sighed and opened her eyes. It never did work.

"I'll show you what happened." He sent her his thoughts and memories.

* * *

_People surrounded him, recognizing him from the news reports. The Hero With No Fear was here to save them. The people begged for his help, grabbing at his hands. They were starving and hungry. They were…slaves. They were slaves. They begged him to set them free, to help them find better lives. Quickly, he moved through the streets. He was trying to find the slave owners. He was going to demand freedom for the people. That was a part of his mission. _

_As he walked through the streets, a little girl ran after him. She was shouting. "Mr. Skywalker! Master Skywalker!" She must have been four or five years old. Anakin stopped, and she ran to him. As she came closer, her features became clearer. Her hair was in dark brown ringlets, and she had chocolate brown eyes. She was a smaller version of his wife, and his heart broke to see her as a slave. _

_She grabbed onto his legs and cloak, nearly pulling him down to the ground. He bent down to her eye level and told her that everything would be alright. She was crying now. She shook her head and pointed back towards where he had come from. As he looked up, he saw flames erupting from the slave houses and men with blasters killing the people in the streets. She cried harder as she kept watching. As a woman was shot, she screamed, "Mommy!" _

_He wrapped her up tightly in his cloak and pulled her into the closest building. It was a shop that sold agricultural machinery. He hid her behind the counter and spoke quickly. "I want you to stay here. Do not leave for any reason. If anyone comes in here, I want you to stay quiet and hidden. If they see you, run and find me." He wished that he could do more for her, but he had to hope for the best. _

_With that, he took off and ran for the slave houses. It was too late. Bodies lay strewn across the ground. Not a single life was spared. One of the slave owners aimed his blaster at Anakin and yelled, "They were slaves, or they were dead. Those were the choices, Jedi." There would be no stopping these men. They would fight until the death, and it would be a merciless battle. He did not have time for this. That little girl could be in trouble. He threw the men back with the Force, rendering them unconscious. _

_Then he ran to find her. Was there anyone else that he could save? Was there anyone else to save? He stopped running for a moment, yelling for anyone to call for help if they were still alive. The only sound that greeted his ears was the sound of burning walls and crumbling homes. No one was left. He turned away and went to find the last survivor that he knew of. When he got to the shop, the girl was huddled under the counter. She was unharmed. Quietly, he asked her if anyone had come into the shop. _

_When she shook her head, he picked her up and carried her silently through the streets of the town. Behind him, there was nothing but rubble and unconscious men that he would leave the Council to deal with. If he had dealt with them, they would be dead. _

_The memory then changed to the setting of the ship. Obi-Wan stood behind Anakin as he cared for the little girl. Anakin had found out that her name was Nacaih, that she was four years old, and that her only family had been the mother that she had seen killed. Anakin dressed her few wounds as he listened to her speak softly. He then took a small blood sample from her. She had been frightened at the sight of the needle, but she had held out her arm willingly to him. He was a Jedi, after all._

_The memory changed yet again to Anakin viewing the blood tests. He examined the blood and found that it had a high midiclorian count. She was young enough and powerful enough to become a Jedi. He smiled. Somehow, it didn't surprise him that she was Force-sensitive. After consulting with Obi-Wan, he told her of her destiny. She smiled and jumped up, throwing her arms around his neck. "Does that mean that I get to stay with you?"_

"_Yes, Nacaih, I'll be at the Jedi Temple too. I'll come and see you when I can." _

_She became nervous and tightened her arms around him. "No, don't leave me! I don't want to be with anyone else! You have to stay with me!"_

"_I'll see you a lot. Every day, in fact." She calmed slightly at this, but her arms remained around his neck. _

"_I miss Mommy." She began to cry at the thought of her dead mother. They were two in the same here. He realized how much it hurt to lose someone so dear to you. His hand rubbed her back in comforting circles. _

"_I miss mine too, Nacaih." With those final words in her head, she fell asleep in his arms. _

_They arrived on Coruscant a few hours later. Nacaih had woken up and was being held tightly in Anakin's arms as they went down the ramp of the ship. Obi-Wan was lecturing him about attachment and how he was going to get Nacaih used to behaviors that the Council would not allow. Anakin ignored him. He knew what she was feeling, and he realized that he was holding onto this tiny little girl just as tightly as she was holding onto him. He couldn't let her go. _

_They walked straight to their meeting with the Council. Anakin did not put Nacaih down, even once they were inside. Obi-Wan shook his head and sighed as he went to sit down in his seat. Anakin remained standing in the center of the room with Nacaih, who had her head buried in the crook of his neck. _

_Master Yoda was the first to speak. "Saved this one from her slave owner, you have. Want her to become a Jedi, you do."_

"_Yes, Master Yoda, I do." Anakin's face betrayed no emotion to the Council, but his comforting hand on Nacaih's back kept her reassured._

"_We have received her test results. They are very high." Mace Windu's expression was one of sheer amazement as he spoke. "She is still young enough. She will make a fine Jedi if she learns how to control her fear."_

"_I assure you that that is a result of losing her mother, Master Windu. Once she has had time to grieve and adjust to her new life style, she will be able to move on and be a wonderful Jedi. I can feel it."_

_The Jedi Masters cast their votes silently through their minds. After a moment, Master Yoda spoke. "Decided, it is. A Jedi, Nacaih will be. To the crèche, she will go. With the other children, she will stay."_

"_Masters, I had another question." Anakin felt Nacaih's fear at the next question. If he were rejected, she would be lost and alone. "May I see her every day? At least, until she had adjusted."_

_Mace Windu thought for a moment before speaking. "Yes, but only if you keep her unattached. If she is to be a Jedi, she must follow the rules. In time, you will need to back away and let her become a Padawan. You will need to let her go, just as she will need to let you go." Anakin bowed his head and was about to leave when Master Windu spoke again. "And Anakin?"_

"_Yes, Master?"_

"_The slave owners will be dealt with. Your ability to show restraint is applauded by all those on the Council."_

"_Thank you, Masters." With that, Anakin left to take Nacaih to the crèche.

* * *

_

Anakin finished showing Padmé his thoughts and sat down on the bed. "She hasn't seen me since I took her to the crèche. I came to see you that night, and everything has happened since. If I can't be with you, then I will go to the Temple to see her."

"Oh, Anakin." Padmé sat down next to him and held him tightly. "Nacaih is a beautiful little girl. You're her hero. You're my hero."

"I miss her. I don't want her to think that I have abandoned her, but I don't want to leave you either."

"I think that she will be glad to see you again… I know that this is being incredibly selfish, but do you think that you can wait until later tonight to go? I know you want to see her, but–"

"No, I'll stay until you fall asleep. Then I'll go back to the Temple. Until then, let's enjoy the rest of the day."


	14. Sweet Dreams For Angels

**Disclaimer: Here it goes again. I own nothing of this, except Nacaih, as she is MY creation. Finally, I own something in the SW universe!**

**Author's Note: I was surprised. No one had a reaction to Nacaih. Any thoughts? Anybody? Also, I know people are stressing about Obi-Wan. Don't worry. I have a plan here. **

* * *

**Sweet Dreams For Angels**

Anakin had told Teref later that night about what he and Padmé had decided. Teref had looked to Padmé gratefully, knowing that she had helped convince her husband. She had shrugged.

Now the Chosen One and his Angel were lying quietly in bed. She was reading a data pad, and he was simply resting besides her, taking in every one of her features. He had lain down a while ago, and now he put his head on the left side of her chest, pretending to be reading along with her. In truth, he was simply listening to her heartbeat and feeling comfort in the fact that she was still alive. He knew that he would not be able to see her for a long time, and he could only hope that his ears would echo the sound of her beating heart forever to remind him that she was alive and that her heart was beating for him.

His hand traced up her arm to where the bracelet was secured. She had not taken it off for any reason other than to shower. She had kept her promise to him, and he was grateful. He pulled her hand away from the data pad and kissed her wrist just above where the leather ended.

"Anakin…" She laughed as she said his name.

"Angel, I love you."

She smiled. "I know you do."

"I just wanted to be sure before I leave."

"I love you too, Ani."

"I know."

"I just wanted to be sure too."

She put the data pad down and snuggled into his open arms. Soon after, she fell asleep. He covered her up, kissed her forehead lightly, and then left the room. He said good-bye to Teref, reminding him to call if anything changed in her. Teref promised him and wished him well with the Council. With that, Anakin left for the Temple. As much as he would miss his Angel, he couldn't wait to see Nacaih.

* * *

Anakin crept into the Temple through his window. It wasn't necessary to be sneaking around, but he did not want anyone to know that he was back until the next morning. As he glanced around his room, he saw that there was a small note at his desk. It had been placed there during his absence. He went over and picked up the note, which was handwritten, surprisingly. His eyes scanned it quickly. 

_Dear Master Skywalker,_

_I understand that you are the person who rescued Nacaih from her enslavement and that she is familiar with you. I therefore thought it best to inform you that Nacaih has been asking for you and that she feels that you have forgotten her. I understand that you have been meditating outside the Temple and that you are in need of rest after battle, but I beg you not to forget the little girl who thinks the world of you. She needs you, Master Skywalker. I just thought that you should know. _

_Sincerely,_

_A Friend and Caregiver_

Anakin's muscles tensed as he read about Nacaih and how much she needed him. The girl had barely been in his presence at all, but she was already important to him. He stashed the note inside his cloak and headed out the door to see her. His thoughts went back to leaving her at the crèche before, which had been near impossible.

_She clung tightly to him, arms around Anakin's neck as he carried her into the crèche. Nacaih would not let go of him. When he set her down on the new bed that had been prepared for her, she released his neck and grabbed the hem of his cloak instead. He watched her pinch and pull at the fabric as they spoke to one another._

_"I don't want you to go." Her voice begged him to stay in high, fearful tones. "I don't want you to go away."_

_"I will be back, Nacaih. You could play with the other children here until I come. I think you'll like them."_

_She continued to play with his cloak. "No. I don't want you to go. You won't come back." Her eyes were filled with tears as she looked up at him. "It's scary. I don't want to be alone." _

_Anakin hugged her at this. He knew how frightened she was through their instant bond. He could feel the fear radiating off of her, but he was surprised to find that not all of it was for herself. He pulled back, looking into her dark eyes and trying to find her secret fear._

_"Nacaih, is something else scaring you?"_

_She shook her head and hugged him tightly. Nacaih secretly whispered into his ear, trying to hide whatever it was from everyone else in the room. "I'm scared for her."_

_Anakin wasn't sure if she was talking about her mother or someone else. "Who? Who are you scared for?"_

_"I dreamed about her. She has brown hair and brown eyes. She loves you. I think she's an angel." _

_The words shook Anakin. His mind went to his wife, but he tried to suppress the thought. Nacaih couldn't have known about Padmé. She couldn't have. He pulled out of her hug to look at her. "You think she's a what?"_

_Nacaih smiled. "An angel. She's pretty and dressed in a white dress, and she's in trouble. She's scared."_

_Anakin tried to brush off the thought of his wife. Nacaih might have been dreaming of her mother and imagined some of the rest. She was probably creating stories. After all, she was four years old. He ran his metal fingers through his hair as he took Nacaih's hand in his flesh one._

_"It's alright. She'll be okay. Nacaih, how long have you been dreaming about her?"_

_"Since you found me… Are you going to help her?" Her hand squeezed his tightly. "Please."_

_Anakin smiled at how caring she was. "I'd have to leave you to go help her. I promise that you'll be safe until I get back."_

_"Will you come back soon? Will you bring her to see me?" Nacaih lit up at the chance to see the angel from her dreams._

_"I'll try. I'll be back as soon as I can. Please be good until I come back, Nacaih."_

_"I will. I promise. Master Skywalker?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"What does Naberrie mean?" Nacaih's eyes looked up at him in a question that he didn't think he could bear to answer. Naberrie. It had been the last name of his wife at birth, long before she had become the politician who went by the name Amidala. How did Nacaih know about that name? Were her dreams that in depth?_

_"I'm not sure what it means." He wasn't lying. He didn't know that the name had a meaning, but he did know more than he was telling her. He couldn't risk everything just yet. Nacaih was only a child, and Anakin was not going to make her carry the burden of such an important secret. _

_"Oh, okay." She paused for a second, not quite sure whether or not to believe him… No, she would. He was a Jedi, after all. "I'll miss you."_

_Anakin scooped the little girl up into his arms. "I'll miss you too, Nacaih."_

As the memory faded, Anakin found himself looking down at Nacaih. The little girl had been right. She had sensed what he had somehow been blind to. The Force worked in mysterious ways, and the sleeping child in front of him proved it.

Anakin bent down to wake her up. She was sleeping so peacefully, just as Padmé had been when he left. Nacaih's hair was let loose, and her dark brown locks framed her face. A small, innocent smile graced her lips. His flesh hand reached out and brushed away a few curls. As his fingertips brushed across her cheek, her eyes opened slowly. At first, she only smiled groggily. Then the fact that he was back dawned on her, and she sat up quickly.

"Master Sky–" His finger on her lips silenced her immediately.  
"Nacaih, we have to whisper. It's still sleep time." His quiet voice calmed her, and she was quiet for a moment. Silently, she jumped up to hug him. His arms held her close, and Anakin thanked the Force that she was not angry with him.

She finally let go of him and sank down onto her bed once more. "Master Skywalker, is she okay? Did you bring her here?"

He smiled at her amazing memory. "She's getting better, but I had to leave her with a healer. She can't come and visit you just yet."

"It's okay. She'll be better soon though, right?"

"I hope so."

Nacaih looked at him for a moment, her face scrunched up as she thought. Her hand grabbed his flesh hand. She looked at his ring finger, trying to finger out the answer to her mystery. "Where's your ring?"

"What?" Anakin was shocked by the question. When he had been at Padmé's apartment, he had worn his wedding ring. Now that he was at the Temple, it rested in a chain around his neck. How could Nacaih possibly know that it wasn't where it was supposed to be? Did she even know why he would wear a ring there?

"Your ring. It's missing." She continued to stare at his bare finger.

"Nacaih, I never wore a ring when I was with you. A Jedi does not have possessions like rings." He tried to sound confident and sure in his response, but she could hear the shakiness of his voice.

"Yes, but you have a ring. I know you do." She dropped his hand suddenly and reached behind his neck. The top of the chain rested just above his tunics. She pulled lightly at the chain until the whole length of it was visible. The ring was in plain view. She looked at it closely for a moment before lifting the chain off of his head. She then took his left hand and placed the ring onto his finger. "She'd want you to wear it."

"Nacaih, I–" Before Anakin could say another word, he sensed Obi-Wan's familiar presence nearby. He quickly took the ring off and placed it inside of his cloak pocket just as his master rounded the corner to see him.

Obi-Wan walked over to Anakin as he tried to convince Nacaih to go back to sleep. "Hello, Anakin."

Anakin's shoulders slumped forward slightly as he realized from the tone of Obi-Wan's voice that a lecture was coming. "Hello, Master Kenobi." Nacaih giggled slightly as she realized that he would be in trouble.

"Could I speak with you outside?" Obi-Wan gestured to Nacaih. "I trust you will put the youngling back to bed first, though."

"Yes, Master." Anakin sighed, feeling once more like the Padawan that he used to be. As Obi-Wan left to wait outside, Anakin tucked Nacaih into bed. "You need to be getting back to bed. I shouldn't have gotten you up at this hour. I'll see you in the morning, okay?"

"Good night, Master Skywalker."

"Sweet dreams, Nacaih."

She closed her eyes, but she held onto his hand tightly for a moment. Her eyes opened suddenly as she remembered. "I won't tell anyone about your ring."

"Thank you, Nacaih. Now, go to sleep." He sent her a soothing wave of love and affection through their bond as he stood up to leave. She was asleep by the time he was at the door to leave. Anakin stole a last glance at Nacaih before heading out into the hall. He had a feeling that Obi-Wan would not be so forgiving of his mistakes this time.


	15. Separated, Can We Survive?

**Disclaimer: I own Star Wars movies, but no actual rights to the Saga. Damn.**

**Author's Note: Okay, I had way too much school, family, and friends to deal with. I actually have had this post for a few days now, but I haven't been able to slap it on here. So considered it officially slapped on.

* * *

**

**Separated, Can We Survive?**

"Care to explain what all of this has been about?" Obi-Wan and Anakin stood outside the door of the crèche, talking quietly.

"Master, I didn't want her to think that I had abandoned her."

"Couldn't it have waited until tomorrow, Anakin?"

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan, his eyes with the same blazing defiance as he had had with Teref. "No. I needed to see her as soon as I got back."

Obi-Wan was becoming more concerned with every word Anakin was saying.

Emotions were flooding his former apprentice, and that could be a dangerous thing. "Anakin, you are becoming attached to Nacaih. The Council said that you could only see if you kept your emotions at bay. If you continue to make these rash decisions, the Council might change its mind."

Anger was beginning to boil inside of Anakin. He had already had to leave Padmé tonight. He couldn't bear to lose Nacaih too. "Nacaih needs me. Would you honestly suggest that I be taken away from her?"

"If you are going to endanger her future as a Jedi, there is nothing else I can do." Obi-Wan hated to even think of betraying Anakin, but his loyalty was first and foremost with the Jedi Order. "You have to remember that Nacaih is still very impressionable. You need to teach her how to be a Jedi. That means setting an example for her."

"I know a lecture when I hear one. I'm not your Padawan any more."

The words shocked Obi-Wan. Why was Anakin so eager to push him away? There had to be more to this. "Anakin, what else is wrong? I can sense that something is troubling you."

"There is a hell of a lot troubling me, Master, but you can't do anything to help!" His whispers were becoming louder and louder, and Obi-Wan was afraid that the younglings might wake up if Anakin continued increasing the volume.

"Let's go talk about this in my room. I don't want to wake the younglings." Anakin said nothing, choosing instead to turn on his heal and storm off. "Where are you going?"

"My room. I'll see you in the morning." His voice was cold and unfeeling.

"Anakin, wait! We need to talk!" Obi-Wan began to follow the Knight, mentally trying to figure out what was going on. "You can't just walk away from your problems!"

"Watch me!" With that, Anakin turned the corner and was out of sight. Obi-Wan stopped following, realizing that he would have to wait. There would be time to discuss this in the morning. Until then, he would meditate on everything. Meditation had been helping him to calm himself lately; perhaps it could help him once again. Obi-Wan walked to his quarters, laughing dryly to himself. _If only Anakin would meditate…

* * *

_

How can I protect you

When I'm not even awake?

How could I have left you?

Was it something I could take?

I'm afraid that I'll wake up

And your breath won't be enough

To reassure me that you're alive.

Separated, can we survive?

* * *

_Teref's voice was slow and mournful. Anakin listened intently, hardly comprehending the words. "Anakin, I'm so sorry. She's dead. Padmé's de–"_

Anakin was startled into consciousness, breathless and hardly thinking. Thoughts kept pouring through his mind. What if it was a premonition of what was to come? Was Padmé okay now? Using the Force in urgency, Anakin reached out to have his comlink slam into his hand. Quickly, his fingers flew to call to Teref's comlink.

The response was immediate. "Teref here. Padmé's fine. She's sleeping peacefully." Anakin heaved a sigh of relief.

"How did you know what I wanted to ask?"

"I remembered you were the husband of the sick Senator Amidala Skywalker and put two and two together. I'm not stupid, Anakin."

"Can you do an extra check on her vitals and make sure that she's not running a temperature?" Anakin knew that his precautions were probably going to do nothing more than confirm that Padmé was fine, but he would take no risk.

There was a brief silence as Teref moved away to check on Anakin's sleeping wife. A moment later he was back on the comlink, speaking once again. "She's fine. I did a thorough search. Her lungs are fine. Her heart is working at a perfect speed. She is having no trouble sleeping. She's making no movements of discomfort. Her fever is receding. I think that she is doing better in all respects."

"Can you check again?" Anakin could not shake the feeling that something was either wrong or about to go wrong.  
"Anakin, I assure you that she's fine. I checked everything possible without disturbing her from sleep. I can wake her if you want." Teref seemed hesitant to do that, but he would be willing to if necessary. He had seen time and time again that he should trust the Chosen One's instincts.

"I hate to do it, but I think it's necessary. Please wake her to check." The healer sighed at the response. There was another pause as he woke Padmé and had her sit up and had her tell him of any troubles she was having. She was helpful and unquestioning until she heard Teref mutter her husband's name.

"Anakin? Is he here?" She began to get up, but Teref stopped her.

"No, he's not here. He's at the Temple, but he woke up calling me to ask about your health. He's on my comlink right now, waiting for a response." At this, Padmé got up right away, regardless of what her healer was telling her.

Once she was holding the comlink, she began talking to her husband. "What happened? A dream? Talk to me, Ani."

Anakin was taken aback by the desperation in his wife's voice. "Are you alright? Is everything feeling okay?"

"How's Nacaih? Have you seen her?"

"You're avoiding the subject."

"You're worrying over nothing."

"You're not nothing, Angel."

The comlink was taken out of Padmé's hands suddenly. She gave a whine of protest as she realized that Teref had taken it away from her. "You're not supposed to be seeing each other or having contact." He spoke both into the comlink and to Padmé at the same time, reprimanding them both. "Your separation is pointless if you continue doing this."

Anakin spoke first, frustration coating his words. "Sorry, old man. I didn't realize it was too late to call." Teref sighed, and Anakin began to regret spreading his horrible mood. "Teref, I know you're only trying to help, but I miss her. Can you blame me for that? Please, promise me that you'll take care of her. I want to know if anything changes, whether it's better or worse. Please, promise me that you'll tell me."

"Anakin, I've already promised you this. I'll tell you if anything changes."

"Thank you. And will you tell her that I love her? She's still wearing the bracelet, right?" Anakin's fears began to wash over him in a new wave, as he feared that this might be the last time that she'd hear from him.

Teref turned to Padmé. "Your husband sends his love and asks if you're still wearing his bracelet."

Padmé, who had been admiring the leather strap on her wrist, looked up. "Of course I am. Send my love back to him."

Teref relayed the message back into the comlink, which gave Anakin an indescribable amount of comfort. "Thank you, Teref. We both owe you."

The healer gave his best smile. "Yeah, yeah, Skywalker. I've heard this all before. Tell me later." Anakin laughed. "I wanted to tell you something though. I'm giving Padmé the ysamarili serum at eight tomorrow morning, so this is the last time you'll be able to feel her through the Force. I'm sorry, but it has to be done."

"I know. I hate it, but I know." Anakin spoke softly, but his frustration at the situation was not hidden in the least.

"I'm sorry. Good night, Skywalker."

"Good night, Secsa." The comlink connection blinked twice before shutting off. Through the Force, Anakin spoke to his wife. _Good night, Padmé._

Across Coruscant, his Angel heard his silent message. She smiled, hoping that he could feel her comfort across the giant city. Anakin felt her warm response, and he lay down to go back to sleep once again. As he stared into the vast expanse of darkness that was his room at night, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to change drastically.

* * *

Anakin woke up at 0500 hours the next morning. He considered going to the training rooms and working on his lightsaber techniques but thought better of it when he realized that Padmé still had not gotten the ysamarili serum yet. He instead opted to immerse himself in the Force and her Force signature while he meditated. Through the Force, he could feel her steady heartbeat and her even breathing. It calmed him.As 0800 hours began to draw near, Anakin started to feel an increasing amount of dread. He didn't want to be cut off from her. He needed a distraction to make himself less aware of the loss of her presence. At a quarter until eight, Anakin left his room to head towards the crèche. If anyone could make the experience bearable, it would be the small girl who resembled his wife in so many ways. 

Anakin walked through the Temple hallways, trying to get there as quickly as he could. He didn't want to be alone when he lost all sense of his wife's presence. He reached the crèche just three minutes before eight. It was not hard to find Nacaih, who was the only child that was ready for the day. The other children were just finishing their baths.

Nacaih and Anakin spotted each other at the same moment. She ran to him quickly, and Anakin bent down to embrace her in a hug. The little girl soon found herself wrapped in his arms and inhaling the comforting scent that was her protector.

"Good morning, Master Skywalker."

"Good morning, Nacaih. How were your dreams last night?" The question had been phrased in a light-hearted manner, and Anakin expected to hear a response that would be the same. Instead, Nacaih scrunched up at her face in response. "Nacaih, is everything okay?"

"I had a bad dream, Master Skywalker. It was about the angel." Anakin tensed as he realized who Nacaih was talking about. He was about to ask what she meant, but he did not get the chance. At precisely 0800 hours, Anakin Skywalker had fainted in the Temple crèche. At precisely 0800 hours, the little girl beside him began to scream.

* * *

Across Coruscant, Padmé had just gotten her shot. She looked at Teref for a second before her eyes fluttered shut, and she fainted. Teref caught her before she fell against the headboard of the bed she had been sitting on. He picked her up and repositioned her onto the bed so that she was lying against the soft pillows. 

Teref immediately began to check her vital signs. Her heart was fine. Her lungs were in perfect condition. Her temperature was rising though. She was quickly developing a rapid fever. The healer reached into his pocket and sent a message to Anakin with his comlink. Anakin's comlink was off though, and Teref was forced not to leave a message. If anyone else were to find the message, everything would be ruined. He could not risk a secret that was not his own.

Teref continued to check on Padmé, but he could not yet give her any other medicine. The ysamarili serum needed to be in her system for a few hours before he could give her any addition medicine. Until then, he constantly checked on her and repeatedly put cold cloths to her head in order to provide some sense of comfort. In the back of his mind, Teref Secsa was praying to the Force that Anakin would turn on his comlink soon. The Chosen One would want to hear about this.


	16. Fallen Protector

**Disclaimer: Send the money to GL, not me. He deserves it.**

**Author's note: No responses? This surprises me.**

* * *

**Fallen Protector**

Nacaih sat in one of the many seats of the Council chambers. She had brought her knees up to her chest and was hugging them as tightly as possible. The chambers were currently empty except for herself, Master Kenobi, Master Windu, and Master Yoda. The Masters were discussing what to do amongst themselves while Nacaih silently cried.

Master Kenobi sent her soothing waves through the Force, but she was unknowingly refusing them. Master Kenobi knew why. He wasn't Anakin. He wasn't her protector. He wasn't the man who had saved Nacaih, and he couldn't even begin to replace him.

A silence fell over the group of Masters. Master Windu turned to Nacaih. "Can you tell us again what happened? We need to know everything that we can, youngling."

Nacaih nodded her head. It took her a moment to stop crying enough to speak. "I was talking to Master Skywalker, and he was asking me about my dreams. I said I had a dream about an angel, and then he fell down." She had hardly finished when she began to cry again. Tears streamed down her face, and she buried her head.

She wanted everything to go away. She wanted nothing more than for the Masters to go away and to have Master Skywalker come in to wrap her into a hug. She wanted him to pick her up and take her back to the crèche. She wanted to warn him about her dream. She wanted not to have to warn him about her dream. She wanted her mom. Force, how she wanted her mom. She wanted Master Skywalker. She needed Master Skywalker.

Master Kenobi came over to the crying girl and set a comforting hand upon her shoulder. "Nacaih." At her name, the little girl looked up at him with tearful eyes. "He's not awake, but do you want to see him?" She nodded eagerly. Obi-Wan held out his hand for her, and she jumped out of the chair. She walked beside him, holding his hand the entire time.

As they approached the medical wing, Nacaih became eerily silent. Master Kenobi looked down at her and saw that she was silently crying again. Nacaih suddenly stopped walking alongside him and sat down to cry again. He went over to her. "Listen, it will be alright. Master Skywalker will be better soon."

She nodded her head, though she continued to cry. When she did not move after a moment, he scooped her up and carried her for the rest of the trip to the medical wing. The healer working the lobby of the medical center saw Master Kenobi and immediately pointed to the room where his former Padawan was.

Master Kenobi opened the door and walked towards Anakin. He set Nacaih down so that she was sitting on the side of the bed. He would have put her on the floor, but she was much too short and would not have been able to see Anakin. As soon as she saw that the Knight was okay, she threw herself onto him. She wrapped her tiny arms around his neck and cried into his shoulder.

One of the healers came in briefly. "Master Kenobi, we are about to check him again for any internal wounds. We're having trouble locating all of his medical information, so I'll need you to fill out a few forms for him." The healer gestured for the Master to come into the lobby area.

"Nacaih, will you be okay if I leave for a minute? I need to do something for Master Skywalker." Master Kenobi put his arm softly on top of the girl's back and rubbed it soothingly. He tried once again to send a wave of comfort through the Force, but her presence again rejected it. Nacaih nodded and hugged Anakin a little tighter. The Master left silently, hoping that the girl would be okay without him.

Nacaih sat up and released Anakin from her tight embrace. She wiped her tears with her sleeve and looked at him. The healer had said that they were going to check Anakin. In the back of her mind, Nacaih remembered his ring. What if the healers found it? Wouldn't he get in trouble? Quickly, she reached for the chain around his neck and undid the clasp. She grabbed the ring and chain and put them quickly into her pocket.

Just as the chain slipped from her fingers and into the soft fabric pocket of her Jedi robe, Master Kenobi came in. "Nacaih? Nacaih, we need to go now. The healers need to take care of Master Skywalker."

Nacaih looked at Anakin, not wanting to leave her fallen protector. "Will he be okay, Master Kenobi?"

"He should be awake in a few hours. I'll let you come see him as soon as he wakes up." Master Kenobi walked towards Nacaih and picked her up again. "He'll be fine. We just have to wait."

"Okay. Do I have to go back to the crèche?" She seemed desperate not to go, as if there was something evil lurking in the crèche.

"No, you don't have to go back to the crèche, but you can't stay here." Master Kenobi was curious as to where it was that Nacaih did want to go. "Is there somewhere that you'd like to be?"

_I want to go 500 Republica. _Nacaih couldn't help but think about the home of the angel. She wanted to go there so badly, but she realized that she couldn't tell Master Kenobi what she knew. "Can I go to Master Skywalker's rooms?"

The Jedi Master stared at the little girl in disbelief. Had she even been there before? "Sure, you can. I'll need to get someone to watch you though. I don't want to leave you all by yourself. Do you know Master Dsaldi Rueha?" Nacaih shook her head, unfamiliar with the strange name. "She's a good friend of Master Skywalker. She teaches some of the younglings that are a little younger than you. I think that you'll like her."

A knock was heard against the door, and a healer entered. "If you don't mind, Master Kenobi, I need to attend to Knight Skywalker now." Master Kenobi nodded in understanding and carried Nacaih out of the medical wing.

Nacaih held onto the elder Jedi for dear life as he carried her to Anakin's quarters. Quietly, she whispered a message to her protector, even though she was long out of his range of hearing. "May the Force be with you, Master Skywalker."

The Jedi Master heard her words, and he silently repeated them. _May the Force be with you, Anakin. May the Force be with you._


	17. Questions Without Answers

**Author's Note: Grrr! Writer's block is the reason for the long delay since the last post. I hate writer's block. Also, I'm now welcoming suggestions for the plot.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. I couldn't be trusted with that kind of power.**

**Author's Note2: I do own Nacaih, Teref Secsa, and Dsaldi Rueha. Any and all use of these characters without my consent is strictly prohibited.

* * *

**

Questions Without Answers

The Jedi Master heard her words, and he silently repeated them. _May the Force be with you, Anakin. May the Force be with you._

"Damn it!" Teref paced Padmé's bedroom, throwing glances at the unconscious woman who he was supposed to be healing. The problem was that there was nothing that he could do yet. The ysamarili serum was still working through her system, and other drugs would interfere with the process.

To add to his problems, Anakin was not picking up his comlink. At this point, Teref was worried. There had to be something wrong or else Anakin would have his comlink on by now. He would have called already. He would have been nagging Teref constantly and demanding to be allowed to come back to the apartment.

Where was Anakin? Teref considered calling the Temple and asking, but it would look suspicious. He couldn't risk it – not yet anyway. He would continue to check on Padmé and make sure that she did not get worse. The healer had already decided that if her temperature continued to increase, he would inject her with illamari serum. Illamari serum would stop the process of the ysamarili serum, but that might be just what she would need. He would have to wait though.

Padmé moaned and turned over slightly. Teref rushed to her side, but he found that she had done nothing more than stir somewhat. She was fine. Unconscious, but fine. He sighed. He had so hoped that she had woken up, but fate would have other plans. He checked her temperature again. It was 103 degrees Fahrenheit, and it continued to increase. Things were going downhill fast.

* * *

Anakin awoke to sterile walls and bright lights. He closed his eyes briefly, trying to wake up enough to remember what was happening. Images and brief glances at his memories flashed through his mind.

0800 hours. Nacaih's scream. Padmé. Nacaih's nightmare. "The angel." Ysamarili serum. Teref. Fear. There was fear everywhere. It had in Nacaih's eyes. It had been in Padmé's Force signature. It was in Teref's reports. It was in Obi-Wan's actions. It was ingrained into Anakin's very soul. There was fear everywhere, and it didn't seem to have any intention of leaving.

Anakin swung his legs over the side of his sick bed. As he stood up, his knees protested slightly at the sudden weight that had been forced on them. Like he had so many times before in his life, Anakin bore the pain and let it fall away into the great abyss of the Force. He was a Jedi Knight. He was the Chosen One. He was Padmé Amidala Skywalker's husband. He didn't have time for pain.

Anakin slipped out of the medical wing, trying not to be noticed. He passed by the healers' office and was unfortunately seen. The healer looked up, saw who he was, and nodded. They were too used to the Chosen One. If he wasn't in need of treatment, he could pretty much leave when he wanted.

Why pretend that they could actually control him? Sure, protocol said that the healers should give him another check before he left, but Anakin had never been one to follow protocol. After years of trying to make him, the entire medical wing had decided that it was nothing but effort wasted.

Having escaped the medical wing and the healers there, Anakin went immediately to his rooms. He had to get into contact with Teref and check that Padmé was okay. The fact that he had fainted at the exact time that Teref had said Padmé was getting the serum concerned him. Something was wrong with his wife, and he intended to find out what it was.

Anakin ran through the hallways of the Temple as fast as he could. He wove through the other Jedi that stood in his way. Luckily, the Jedi Masters were nowhere in sight. With no one to slow him down with questions, Anakin was able to make it to his rooms in a few minutes. His reached with the Force and opened his doorway before he got there. As soon as the door was open enough, Anakin slipped through and into his rooms.

He was on automatic as he raced to his bedroom. He had left his comlink there, and he would be able to call Padmé once he had it. He opened the door to his bedroom only to find Nacaih sleeping on his bed. She looked so innocent. She looked so peaceful. She looked so…content. She had slipped under the covers, and the blanket was pulled up to her chin. Anakin walked over to the side of the bed and crouched down next to her. He put his real hand on her cheek, and she unconsciously snuggled into it.

"She's missed you." Anakin jumped slightly as he heard the voice of another in the room. Leaning against the doorway, Dsaldi Rueha stood smiling at him. "So have I, actually."

Without a moment's hesitation, Anakin had bounded over to Dsaldi and hugged her. "It's been a long time, Dsaldi. I can't believe it. You look so different." Anakin smiled.

When he had last seen her, she had been 19. It had been almost two years since then, and she was practically a new person. She was an inch taller and a bit slimmer than before. Her hair had originally been a light brown that was completely straight, but it had since changed to a dark brown with purple, red, and blue highlights and hung in loose curls. She had always been a bit of a rebel.

"How did you manage to get the Council to let you do this?" He picked up a blue strand of hair and looked at it for a second before letting it fall back into place among her curls.

Dsaldi laughed. "They didn't exactly_ let_ me do anything. I did it. They hated it. I ignored them. The general chain of events."

"What did your old Master say?"

"He was less than pleased, but he wasn't the worst of it. After all, imagine explaining individuality and rebellion to Master Windu and Master Yoda. Let's just say it was an experience." Dsaldi smiled at him for a moment before looking over to Nacaih. "She insisted on coming to your rooms. When I got here, she was asking Master Kenobi all sorts of questions about you as a Padawan as she looked through all of your things. It was very cute. I think you have an admirer."

Anakin went beside the bed once more and stood over Nacaih. She began to move restlessly in her sleep, as if she was trying to run away from something. Before Anakin could send her soothing thoughts through the Force, Nacaih sat up and screamed. "Master Skywalker!"

Anakin sat down on the bed and scooped her into his arms. Nacaih cried into his shoulder for a few minutes as she calmed down. Anakin looked up to Dsaldi with pleading eyes and sent her a message through the Force. _Do you think you could leave us alone for a minute? _Dsaldi nodded her head and left them alone.

"Nacaih. Nacaih. Did you have a bad dream?" Nacaih nodded her head, but her face stayed buried in his robes. He continued to speak in a soft voice to her. "Do you want to tell me about it?" Nacaih nodded once more, but she still did not move from her place of comfort. Anakin began to rub her back in comforting circles as he sent her wave after wave of soothing feelings through the Force.

When her tears had subsided enough, Nacaih pulled away from him slightly. She was now far enough away from him to see his face, but she was close enough to still be held in his arms. "Master Skywalker, are you better now?"

Anakin nodded his head. "Yes, Nacaih. I'm fine now."

She was silent for a moment, trying to figure out a question in her mind. "Is the angel better now?"

His heart reached out to Padmé, hoping that she was better. Still, he knew that she wasn't. If anything, his angel was getting worse. "No, she's not. Nacaih, did you have another dream about the angel?"

"Yes."

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

"Okay. Master Skywalker?"

"Yes?"

"Who is Darth Vader?"

* * *

**Author's Note3: Nacaih is one smart cookie, huh? **


	18. Rules Made, Rules Broken

**Author's Note: I'm a horrible person who has a bad case of writer's block. I'm not completely satisfied with this chapter, so I need your reviews now more than ever.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. I can't think of anything cute to say with that. Oh wait, puppies. That's cute! (It's a Gilmore Girls line. Go with it.)**

**Author's Note2: While I do not own Star Wars, I do own the characters Teref Secsa, Nacaih, Dsaldi Rueha, and any core characteristics/plot lines associated with said characters. Any use these characters without my permission is prohibited. **

**Author's Note3: I have a lot to say, don't I? I'm desperately searching for people to read my oneshot stories, "Prove It" and "Always Redeemed." If you guys could read them, I'd love that. **

* * *

**Rules Made, Rules Broken**

Who is Darth Vader?

Who is your demon?

Who is that possible savior that never was?

Who is Skywalker?

Who is that savior?

Can you find the effect without the cause?

* * *

"Master, I believe that Nacaih is becoming attached to Anakin." There. He had said it. Obi-Wan paced around Master Yoda's room as he spoke. As much as Obi-Wan wanted to pretend that there was nothing going on, he realized that Nacaih's future as a Jedi might depend on him. "You saw her yourself when he was first put into the medical wing. She was hysterical." 

"Have a suggestion, you do, Master Obi-Wan." Master Yoda looked to the younger Jedi with keen interest. "Tell me, you must."

Obi-Wan turned slowly around and sat on the couch nearby. He had thought long and hard about this situation. He didn't want to separate Anakin and Nacaih, but it would not be wise to let things continue as they were. "I was hoping that the Council would consider making her a Padawan at an earlier age. Not immediately, of course. She's still adjusting to life at the Temple. However, I was hoping to begin the process of taking her on as a Padawan myself."

Master Yoda considered this for a moment. Anakin had been knighted not too long ago, and Obi-Wan was still relatively young for a Master. Obi-Wan had never been given the chance to live on his own without the burdens of having a Padawan to take care of. Was it wise to rush him into having another apprentice?

On the other hand, Nacaih would need a Master in a year or two if she waited to become a Padawan at the proper time. She was only familiar with a few Knights and Masters, one of which was Master Kenobi. She would benefit from working closely with such an experienced Master, and she would also be able to see Anakin on a regular basis. They would not be kept apart. Master Yoda was still unsure.

"Bring this up for discussion at the next Council meeting, I will. Until then, separated, Knight Skywalker and Nacaih must be."

Obi-Wan nodded, but a part of him wished to contradict the wise Master. Why should the two be separated? Why not let them be until the Council decided otherwise?

"Have something to say, do you?" Master Yoda stared at Obi-Wan, almost daring him to oppose his decision.

"No, Master Yoda. I will tell Anakin of the news when he wakes."

"Then head to his quarters, you must. Already awake, Skywalker is." Master Yoda smiled. He had felt Anakin's awakening through the Force, but Obi-Wan had not. Before he could say another word, Obi-Wan was out the door, heading for Anakin's quarters.

* * *

Anakin stared at Nacaih, trying to think of a way to answer her question. He wasn't sure how to explain something that he did not fully understand himself. "Nacaih, Darth Vader is a Sith. Do you know what a Sith is?" The little girl shook her head, tossing her brown ringlets from side to side. "A Sith is a bad person who hurts people." 

"And the Jedi fight the bad guys." Nacaih finished. Anakin nodded, smiling slightly. "Are you going to fight Darth Vader, Master Skywalker?"

"I don't know, Nacaih. If I find him, I might."

"Is he hiding?" The little girl looked out the window nearby, obviously picturing an unknown villain hiding in the streets of Coruscant.

"I don't know what he's doing, Nacaih." Anakin stroked her hair softly, trying to somehow soothe her fears. He didn't want her thinking that a masked man would come to steal her away during the night.

She looked back at him, her eyes showing no fear. "You'd protect me."

Anakin was floored. That trust, that confidence, that complete faith that she had in him was astounding. He couldn't believe that she would believe that he could destroy any enemy. He promised himself then that he would never let her down.

Before Anakin could respond, Dsaldi came in to the room. "Obi-Wan is here."

"What?" Anakin stood up and walked over to her. "How could he know that I was awake already?"

"I have no idea. I only know that he's sitting on your couch and waiting anxiously to talk to you." Anakin didn't move at her words. Instead, he clenched his fists as he remembered their fight earlier. "I'm going to get him a drink since you're obviously not planning on being hospitable."

Anakin watched her leave, unsure as to go into the other room or not. As he pondered the decision, he felt a light tug on his robes. He looked down to see Nacaih staring up at him.

"Master Skywalker, are you angry?"

He crouched down to meet her eye level. "No, Nacaih. I'm not angry. Master Kenobi and I aren't getting along very well; that's all. It'll be okay."

"Okay." She yawned, still tired after only having a short nap.

"Why don't you go back to sleep? I'll wake you up later, and we'll spend time together then."

She yawned again and nodded. Anakin picked up the sleepy child, and she slumped against his shoulder immediately. He carried her over to his bed and set her down with the utmost care. She snuggled into the pillow as he pulled the covers up to her chin. She opened her eyes slightly. "Good night, Master Skywalker."

"Sweet dreams, Nacaih." He touched her shoulder briefly and then left to speak with his Master.

* * *

Teref was panicking. Padmé was not getting any better. She wasn't getting any worse either, but her temperature was still extremely high. She had woken up briefly on a couple of occasions, but she seemed to be somewhat unaware of her surroundings. When she was asleep, she tossed and turned. Often, she would call out for Anakin. 

After deliberating for close to an hour, Teref chose to inject her with illamari serum. It would take several hours to fully fight the ysamarili serum, but it might serve to help her condition. Teref also decided that he would call Anakin non-stop until he picked up. He should have done this before, but there was no undoing the past.

Padmé turned over once more and mumbled something incoherent. Teref stared at her, and he prayed that he had made the right decision. She had a lot more life to live, he told himself, and he would have to fight to give her the chance to live it. He couldn't – no, wouldn't – let anything happen to her.

* * *

Anakin walked into the room fearing the worst. He could feel waves of apprehension rolling off his Master. Bad news was coming, and he knew it. When Obi-Wan stood up to greet him, Anakin knew that this conversation could only lead to more arguments. 

"Hello, Master."

"Hello, Anakin." They stood quietly for a moment, each unsure of what to do or say. "Anakin, I didn't want to do this, but it has been decided that Nacaih is to be–"

"To be what?" Anakin's eyes danced with fury, daring Obi-Wan to even attempt to say something he didn't like. Through their already strong bond, Anakin felt Nacaih stir at his anger. He sent her a reassuring wave of calm through the Force before shutting her out. He didn't want to scare her with his anger.

"Anakin, I have spoken to Master Yoda about Nacaih. I have offered to be Nacaih's Master when she becomes a Padawan. He said that he will bring the topic up for discussion at the next Council meeting. He also said that Nacaih is to be separated from you until that time." Obi-Wan looked to his former apprentice with deep regret in his eyes. This was not what he had wanted to happen.

"No." Anakin's fists clenched, but his face displayed no emotion whatsoever.

"Anakin, you need to consider what is in Nacaih's best interests. If she becomes my apprentice, she would still be able to see you on a regular basis. This separation is only temporary."

"No. I will not let you take her from me!"

"Anakin, think rationally. This is the best case scenario for Nacaih's future – a future I have fought to keep you a part of. I don't wish to see her permanently separated from you. It's only temporary." Obi-Wan attempted to feel Anakin's emotions through the Force, but he was being blocked. "Anakin, why are you shutting me out? I'm only looking to help you."

Anakin opened his mouth to speak, but his comlink sounded at that exact moment. Anakin pulled it out of his pocket and quickly pressed the button to receive the message. "Teref?"

Obi-Wan's mind swirled with questions. "You've been communicating with Teref? I thought he was out of the Temple."

Anakin didn't even glance up at Obi-Wan when he responded. "He is." He then tuned his former Master out entirely as he addressed Teref. "What's going on? What's wrong?"

"Where have you been?" Teref sounded beyond concerned.

"Answer the damn question, Teref!" Anakin's face was etched with concern and anger. "What's going on?!"

Teref hesitated for a moment. "I don't know. Come quickly."

Anakin didn't bother to respond. Instead, he turned off the comlink and went into his bedroom. He picked Nacaih up, not bothering to wake her. He wouldn't leave her though. He'd promised.

"What are you doing?" Obi-Wan's voice of reason echoed in Anakin's ears.

Calmly, Anakin turned around and faced Obi-Wan. "I'm taking Nacaih, going to my speeder, and leaving for Senator Amidala's apartment. Come if you want."

Obi-Wan gave up trying to make Anakin listen to reason. He simply followed Anakin out to the speeder, knowing that he would get an explanation later. As they reached the docking bay, he finally spoke up. "You shouldn't be taking Nacaih with you, and you shouldn't be going to Senator's Amidala's apartments without the Council's permission."

"And you shouldn't be letting me go either." Anakin put Nacaih in the back seat of one of the Temple's speeders. He strapped her, making sure she would be safe should anything happen. He then closed the door to the back seat and turned to Obi-Wan.

"Anakin, you shouldn't be risking her future."

"Nacaih's future or Senator Amidala's future?" Before Obi-Wan could respond, Anakin continued. "It doesn't matter. I would never let anything happen to either one of them." Anakin turned sharply on his heel and went to the driver's side of the speeder. He opened the door and asked, "Are you coming or not?"

Obi-Wan said nothing. Instead, he opened the door on the other side and got in the speeder. Anakin got in as well, and they were gone before anyone could protest. As they sped across the city, Obi-Wan recalled Master Yoda's earlier words. _Disobeying the Order, Skywalker always is. If it will be worth his sacrifice, the question is…_

_

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_

**Reviews from you are love. Love brings love. New chapters from me are also love.**


	19. Present And Future Nightmares

**Disclaimer: I own Star Wars about as much as I own the stars themselves.**

**Author's Note: The middle section of this is okay. I don't know what I think of it. Please, be as critical as possible. Throw flames if flames are deserved. Throw flowers if flowers are deserved... or if you're a hippy.**

**Author's Note2: I do own the original characters known as Teref Secsa, Nacaih, and Dsaldi Rueha. Any and all uses of these characters without permission is strictly prohibited. I don't steal from Uncle George, and I ask that no one steals from me.**

**Author's Note3: I have a lot to say. Anyway, there have been some rumors about Nacaih's background that I want to clear up. She is not the daughter of Shmi. She is not Anakin's daughter from a previous marriage. She is not related to Padme in any way, shape, or form. She is not a clone of Padme. She is simply a girl with striking resemblance to Padme in the interest of symbolism. I'm thinking of devoting a story to her earlier life on the Outer Rim. I might include it in this story as well. I'm not sure. Anyway, I wanted to clear it up. (All of these ideas were good suggestions and ideas. It's just not where I'm going with this. :) Thanks anyways.)**

**waiting4haykin**

**p.s. Has anyone unscrambled Teref Secsa's name yet? Just curious...**

* * *

**Present And Future Nightmares**

I'm not going to cry.

You're saving me with you ev'ry breath.

You're not going to die.

I'm saving you from your very death.

* * *

"What's happening, Teref?" Anakin was in the door of the apartment with Nacaih in his arms, before Teref could even say one word. Obi-Wan followed him inside, trying to keep up with Anakin's rapid thinking and movements. Anakin set the \sleeping form of Nacaih on the couch and brushed his lips across her forehead. Obi-Wan was about to say something about attachment, but Anakin had already moved into the bedroom where Padmé was located. "Tell me, Teref!" 

"I gave her ysamarili serum."

"I know that. I felt that. Then what?" Anakin was crouched at the side of the bed and had immediately grabbed his wife's hand. Obi-Wan stood in the doorway.

Teref continued. "She reacted badly to it, and so I recently gave her illamari serum."

Obi-Wan interrupted. "Doesn't that counteract ysamarili serum? It would hinder your attempts to block her from the Force."

"Right, but it was the only way of stopping the negative effects that the ysamarili serum was creating. Anakin, we're at a standstill right now. Padmé is having negative reactions to the Force, and she gets worse when we've tried to cut her off from it. I don't know what to do." Teref put his hand on Anakin's shoulder. "I don't think that there is much hope for her unless we find an alternate solution."

Anakin dropped Padmé's hand, stood up, and turned to Teref. "Don't you dare tell me that! There has got to be another way!"

Obi-Wan interrupted once again. "Teref, can Padmé sense the Force again?"

"Not yet, but she should be able to in a couple of hours. Her condition seems to have gotten better as the ysamarili has worn off, but I think it's going to get worse again once she's fully aware of the Force." Teref rubbed his eyes, tired from lack of sleep. He was currently using the Force just to stay awake.

Anakin stared at his sleeping wife, trying to think of a way to help her. "Master, what should we do to help her?"

"I don't know, Anakin. Perhaps we should go to the Council with this."

"No, Obi-Wan. They will only ask questions." Anakin got up and began to pace around the room, debating whether or not to go back to the Temple for help.

Obi-Wan shook his head at his former Padawan's stubborn nature. "They're going to need to find out eventually, Anakin."

"I know that. I don't care if they find out any more! I just don't want them to stop me from helping her. I'll tell them, just not now."

Teref was the next to speak. "What about Master Yoda? He would give us the help we need and save the questions for later."

Anakin and Obi-Wan looked toward one another, silently sending their thoughts back and forth. Obi-Wan then looked to Teref. "We're going to the Temple. Master Yoda is our only hope. Stay here and try to get some sleep. I don't think you can do much to improve Padmé's condition at this point."

Teref nodded. "Okay, tell me what Master Yoda says. May the Force be with you both."

In unison, the other two responded. "May the Force be with you." With that, the two Jedi left for their speeder. Once inside, they sped off towards the Jedi Temple, hoping they could find the answers they needed there.

_

* * *

Darth Vader walked towards the window and stood beside a wrinkled old man. Together, they looked out toward the galaxy, seeing their future reign of terror written across the stars… _

Nacaih woke up with a jolt, suddenly afraid. She hoped that Master Skywalker would find this Darth Vader person soon. She wanted him gone before he had a chance to do everything that he was destined to do. No, Master Skywalker wouldn't let him take over the galaxy – none of the Jedi would.

As her fear slowly receded, Nacaih began to take note of the room she was in. It was nothing like the Temple, and she didn't know where she was. As much as this should have scared her, Nacaih was oddly calm. She had fallen asleep with Master Skywalker in the very next room, and she knew that he would keep her safe.

She got up from the couch she was sitting on and began to look around the room. It looked like an apartment of some kind. She wasn't sure who owned this place, but that didn't deter her from picking up and examining objects. She saw a series of windows leading to a small balcony outside with a high railing. She went out onto it, looking at as much of the city as she could see from her short height. Looking up, she saw speeders flying in every direction over her head. She sat down on the cold floor of the balcony and looked up at the night's sky. She watched as all the speeders flew by, and she felt at complete and total peace.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Nacaih?" Looking up, she saw an unfamiliar person staring down at her. He was in Jedi uniform, so she felt no need to fear him.

"Uh-huh?"

"I'm Master Secsa, a friend of Master Skywalker's. Why don't you come inside? It's cold out here." Teref led Nacaih inside, and the window panel to the outdoor balcony closed behind them. "Are you tired?"

"No, Master. Where's Master Skywalker?"

"He had to go back to the Jedi Temple for a while. He'll be back tomorrow, but he wanted you to stay here." Teref yawned and rubbed his eyes. These last few days had been exhausting, and he was in dire need of sleep. "Nacaih, I'm going to go to sleep on the couch. Why don't you try to go back to sleep in the guest bedroom over there?" He pointed down the hallway to a small room located right next to the master bedroom.

Nacaih nodded her head. "Okay, Master Secsa. I'll try."

"Good. Sweet dreams, Nacaih."

"Good night, Master Secsa." She walked to the guest bedroom as he went to the couch. As soon as he was down, he went to sleep. Nacaih took small steps, so she wasn't quite to the guest bedroom when she began to hear him snore. She giggled slightly.

As she approached the guest bedroom, she saw the door to the master bedroom open. She peered inside and saw a beautiful woman sleeping on the bed. Unable to control her curiosity, she went to the side of the bed for a closer look at the woman. She recognized this woman. It was the angel. Nacaih was amazed.

Nacaih climbed up onto the bed and sat down next to the angel. She looked at her at the sleeping woman who bore such a great resemblance to her own mother. Nacaih couldn't help herself, and she snuggled up to the sleeping angel. The angel seemed to open her arms to hold Nacaih, and the little girl fell asleep in her warm, comforting arms.


End file.
